


fate wrapped in blood and crystallized memories

by yoonminoml (fanficloverme96)



Series: Blood+ AU [5]
Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Drama, Explicit Sexual Content, Horror, M/M, Romance, Sequel, Supernatural Elements, the rest makes occasional appearances
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:21:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 18
Words: 88,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26294053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fanficloverme96/pseuds/yoonminoml
Summary: [Blood+ AU]It's been more than half a year since Nanase Riku woke up from his year-long coma that wiped his memories of the years before. Now living with his twin brother Tenn and chevalier Gaku, he attempts to regain a sense of normalcy. He doesn't tell them of the series of nightmares that plague his nights.When a mysterious figure who brought back memories of Riku's past appears into his life and takes Tenn with him, Riku is forced with the option of confronting the truth of his missing memories.Or lose his brother forever.
Relationships: Kujou Ten & Nanase Riku, Kujou Ten/Yaotome Gaku, Nanase Riku/Tsukumo Ryou
Series: Blood+ AU [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1652995
Comments: 95
Kudos: 96





	1. prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is the sequel to "fate crystallized in blood" so reading that fic is necessary to understand this one.

**Prologue**

The place hasn’t changed even after all these years. 

How long has it been since he last stepped into this place? It is as ruined as he remembers it and that had been a good...7 to 8 years ago? Perhaps longer. He couldn’t really tell at this point.

Nor does he really care.

He traces his gloved hands over the ruined walls and the dusty counters. His eyes drink in the sight of the broken pieces of furniture and books strewn all over the floor. He’s surprised and perhaps even a little impressed that no one has raided this place yet.

But then again, this place’s location _had_ been top secret, even from the government. Anyone who worked here had to make a vow to never speak a word of this place and literally put their lives on the line to keep that promise. It’s all so morbid and quite frankly, dramatic, but given the things that were carried out here, he doesn’t quite blame one of the many owners of this place for wanting to keep it sealed and locked away. 

“Well, Kujou Takamasa is long dead, so he can’t tell me what to do now,” the man says cheerfully.

He picks up a book off the ground - a journal that once belonged to another scientist who documented the changes of the experiment subjects here in the lab. He worked tirelessly too and all his notes from his previous journals could be considered valuable.

Too bad he’s killed for them. 

“The old man hid it so well so this particular journal was never found,” the man muses, “Until now, that is. Now what could be in here that’s so valuable that he wants to -,”

He stops at a particular page, his eyes widening in interest. “Heh… this _is_ interesting.”

His shoulder trembles as he begins to laugh, his voice echoing off the walls of the ruined lab.

“This is perfect! Ah, I love it when fate is on my side.” He snaps the book shut, smiling to himself in the darkness. “Finally, the wheels have begun moving after all that waiting and waiting.”

He hums, pleased.

“I can’t wait to see that expression of agony on your face again.”

He takes out a photograph slipped on the page that he opened, which shows a boy huddled miserably in his lab cell, his sunken eyes empty and miserable. The picture is black and white, but the man knows that the boy’s hair had been brilliant red - the most beautiful shade of red he had ever seen. 

“My darling Nanase Riku.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Teehee! The long awaited sequel is here! I hope you're excited for this as much as I am ^^
> 
> To avoid spoilers, tags will be added as the story progresses and if there are any particular warnings, it will also be added at the start of the chapter.
> 
> Kudos/comments/bookmarks are appreciated and you can find me on Twitter at @tennssi0907 !


	2. one

**Part I**

**_“Memories are bullets. Some whiz by and only spook you. Others tear you open and leave you in pieces.”_ **

**_― Richard Kadrey, Kill the Dead_ **

**Chapter one**

  
  


It’s been more than half a year since Riku woke up with huge gaps in his memories.

He remembers opening his eyes and finding himself in an unfamiliar bedroom filled with unfamiliar smells and unfamiliar sights. It’s disorienting waking up like that and he remembers making a sound of discomfort - a whine, like a baby about to cry.

The doorknob to that unknown room twisted open and he saw someone who looked a lot like his twin brother, but older, taller. Beside him was a man Riku didn’t recognize - a handsome one, with eyes that reminds Riku of the glittering silvery surface of the sea and whose blood smelled...like Riku’s. In fact, compared to the other person who looked and smelled like his twin brother, it had been this other person who admittedly caught his attention more.

His blood smelled like...the way Kujou Takamasa’s blood smelled like after he became Tenn’s new chevalier.

“Riku!” This person even sounded like his brother, and when he wrapped his arms around Riku, Riku instantly knew it was his brother. Taller. Older. But still his brother. How strange. If Tenn’s taller and older, then did that mean Riku’s the same way? 

“T-Tenn-nii,” Riku remembers hesitantly returning the hug. “Is it really you?”

Older-looking Tenn had looked at him with confusion before exchanging glances with the man beside him. He asked Riku how old he was. It was a silly question. Riku answered he’s thirteen years old. 

Except he wasn’t.

“You’re twenty this year, Riku,” Tenn had smiled, though the edges shook, “A fresh young adult. A year ago, you fell into a long sleep and now today, you just woke up. Do you remember anything?”

No. Riku did not remember anything. Had seven years really passed by just like that? If he only fell asleep last year, why didn’t he remember any of the years before? Who was that man beside Tenn? Where was Kujou? What happened to him all these years?

More than half a year later, most of those questions were now answered.

The man is named Yaotome Gaku. Tenn’s live-in boyfriend, a small bar owner, son of a music company president...and also Riku’s chevalier. One Riku never remembered creating.

Kujou was told to be off on a long vacation the first time Riku asked. Now, Riku knows he’s dead, though Tenn refused to share more details until Riku regained more of his memories.

As for what happened to him… 

“When more of your memories return,” Tenn had told him gently, “I will tell you then, okay?”

It frustrates him that Tenn is keeping so many secrets from him, but it’s not like he doesn’t understand. Whatever it was, if it caused him to lose so many years of his memories, perhaps it might be better if Riku doesn’t remember at all. But he  _ wants  _ to. Oh, how desperately he wants to.

Perhaps then, he might remember why this other person - one named Ryo who has a gentle but sad smile on his face when he thinks Riku isn’t looking - seems important to him despite not remembering who he is.

Perhaps then -

He clutches the red pendant around his neck. The pendant his brother told him belonged to someone who saw him as important and cherished him greatly.

Perhaps then, he’ll know why the pendant around his neck gives him both comfort and burden.

“This equation is wrong.”

“A-ah...is it?”

“This one too.”

“Heeh?! I was so sure I had it right, though…”

Haruka twirls his pen with his point finger and thumb, watching as the pen falls out from his grip and clatters onto the table. He doesn’t make any move to pick it up and simply leans back against the chair. He sighs heavily and runs a hand through his hair.

“I don’t understand why you want to pick up maths out of all things when it hasn’t even been that long since you woke up,” Haruka says, “Shouldn’t you focus on getting back on track with your life or something?”

“I remember being in middle school before my memories blanked out,” Riku replies as he erases his answer from his practice sheet, “I’m too old for it now, obviously, but I figured continuing my studies might help me regain a sense of normalcy.” He scribbles something on the book before showing it to Haruka. “What about now?”

Haruka barely glances at the notes. “Wrong. You used the wrong values.”

Riku groans. “I give up.”

“Good. My favorite TV show is about to start in half an hour and I wanna be home by then to watch it.”

“You can always stay over to watch it. I don’t think Tenn-nii would mind.”

Haruka shakes his head. “Minami is home early from work today. I don’t want to leave him alone at home.”

Riku smiles. “Natsume-san, is it? I’d love to meet him someday.” 

Haruka eyes him in consideration. “I’ll ask your brother next time if he could come over,” he mumbles, “But only if Minami wants to.”

“Okay!”

As Riku moves to gather his things from the dining room table, he doesn’t notice that Haruka is staring at him until he looks up and sees that Haruka hasn’t kept any of his things yet. Instead, he gives Riku another considering look, his head tilted to the side. Well, to say that he is looking at  _ Riku _ is inaccurate. 

He is looking at the red pendant around Riku’s neck.

“That pendant…” Haruka murmurs, “Whose blood is it?”

Riku smiles slightly. Leave it to Haruka to be straightforward with his question. It’s a nice change from all the skirting around, but sometimes it leaves Riku unprepared. He closes his fingers lightly around the pendant, his eyes dropping into a half-lidded look.

“Tenn-nii told me it belonged to someone named Iori. He used to be my chevalier.”

Haruka frowns. “The way you describe him… I’m guessing you don’t remember him?”

“Gaku-san showed me his picture but I...I have no memories of him at all. But Tenn-nii said he cherished me, so…” Riku chews his bottom lip. “I’d like to think he’s someone important to me in the past.”

“Someone important, huh?” Haruka hums but doesn’t push the subject further. Riku watches him silently as the boy finally moves to gather his things into his sling back. His eyes catch sight of a similar red pendant hanging around Haruka’s neck, its jewel shining in the light.

“...whose blood is that?” Riku asks carefully.

Haruka reacts to the question as if he’d been bitten by a poisonous snake. He grabs the pendant with the speed of lightning before stuffing it back into his shirt. From his guarded expression when he looks at Riku again, Riku guesses that the pendant was not meant to be seen.

“I’m sorry!” Riku raises his hands as if to placate him. “Y-you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. I was just -”

“No, I…” Haruka sighs, “It’s fair...for you to ask, I mean. I did ask about yours. I was just...I was just startled.” He doesn’t take the pendant back out but his guarded expression relaxes somewhat. “It’s...His name was Touma. Inumaru Touma. That’s all you need to know.”

Riku doesn’t miss the pain that flits across the boy’s face. 

“Okay,” Riku says quietly.

A few seconds of awkward silence before it gets broken by the sound of Haruka’s shuffling feet and his throat clearing. The boy slings his back on the shoulder before making his way to the archway leading to the main living space. “In any case, I’ll get going now. Tell your brother that I might be bringing a friend next time I come over.”

Riku smiles softly. “Okay, Isumi-san.” He bows slightly. “Thank you for coming over as always!”

“...Right.”

Riku sees Haruka off at the door, waving at the boy until Haruka disappears into the elevator that will carry him down to the main lobby. Riku’s hand falters then, like the smile on his face.

It’s moments like these where he cannot pretend to ignore the barriers that still exist between him and certain people. Like that Schiff, whose existence was created from Tenn’s blood through cruel means. He could try to be as friendly as he possibly could, but he knows whatever happened between him and Haruka and perhaps with other people throughout the years he cannot remember cannot be undone within a span of barely six months.

He lightly grips the pendant around his neck.

This pendant, for instance, like his memories is a thing he’s almost afraid to know more about now.

“Riku?”

Riku looks away from his dressing mirror to smile at his twin brother, whose head pokes from his bedroom door. “Tenn-nii! What is it?”

“Tsukumo-san is here to pick you up. He’s waiting in the living room.”

“Oh!” Riku rises from his chair. “He’s so early! Well, only by five minutes, but ah, I don’t think I’m presentable yet. Do I look okay, Tenn-nii? Is my hair too weird? Should I put more color on my face?”

Tenn shakes his head, his expression exasperated but fond. “You look fine, Riku. Cute, even.” He nods at the outfit Riku is wearing. “That white top looks good on you. When did you buy it?”

“Gaku-san got it for me when we went out shopping!”

Tenn sighs. “Gaku really needs to stop indulging you so much.” He walks towards him, his hand reaching out to smooth down Riku’s hair. “There. You look really pretty, Riku. Are you that eager to have Tsukumo-san compliment you?” he teases.

“T-that’s -!” Riku flushes before he crosses his arms, “It’s the same as you with Gaku-san, isn’t it? You always dress your best whenever you go out on dates with him. You’d put on new makeup and prettier outfits than the ones I’ve seen you on stage with. Didn’t you do that because you wanted Gaku to call you pretty?”

“Gaku’s my boyfriend. He’s obligated to compliment me,” Tenn points out before he smiles. “Okay, okay. Let’s go. You wouldn’t want to keep Tsukumo-san waiting.”

“Mmph. Wait, lemme just -,” He grabs the red pendant off the jewellery box and slips it over his neck. He lets it rest against his chest before turning towards Tenn again, reaching out his hand. “Let’s go!”

“Mm,” Tenn says with a gentle smile, lacing their fingers together as they walk to the living room.

Gaku is sitting across Ryo when the pair arrives at the living room. They seem to be engaged in a polite conversation about Tenn’s recent idol performance - the one Ryo recently became a sponsor of - and both of them look up the moment they hear footsteps coming in. Ryo’s face instantly lights up the moment he sees Riku, the man already rising from the sofa.

Seeing such a happy smile directed at him makes Riku’s stomach flutter.

“Riku, you look  _ stunning, _ ” he praises. He reaches out a hand with his palm facing upwards. Riku takes a quick glance at Tenn who nods before he eagerly accepts the offered hand and laces their fingers together. Ryo’s hand feels warm against his own and a smile creeps onto his face before Riku could help himself.

“Thank you, Ryo-san,” he says shyly, “You don’t look so bad yourself,” he adds, nodding at Ryo’s combination of black blazer and dress pants. “I feel a little underdressed, to be honest.”

“Nonsense! You look wonderful, Riku.”

Riku’s flush deepens and he merely giggles in return. He stands beside Ryo before turning to Tenn and Gaku. “We’ll get going now, Tenn-nii. Gaku-san.”

“Have fun, Nanase,” Gaku says with a grin, “And don’t stay out too late. You have your big brother here prowling at the door waiting for your return.”

“More like waiting for Tsukumo-san to return Riku safely to me,” Tenn says, eyeing Ryo meaningfully, “If I see one scratch on his cute face, I’ll have your head, Tsukumo-san,” he adds with mock cheer.

“You can’t kill me. I’m sponsoring your next concert, Tenn-kun,” Ryo points out with an equal amount of cheer.

“President Yaotome can find a replacement, no worries.”

“ _ M-mou! _ ” Riku tugs Ryo’s arm. “C-cut it out, you two. Stop being a worrywart, Tenn-nii. Ryo-san and I are only having dinner and a walk in the park. We’ll be back by 11 PM.” He sticks out his tongue at Tenn. “I’m an adult too, you know…”

Tenn’s expression softens. “I know. You’ve grown, Riku.”

It’s the way Tenn says it that makes Riku pause. He teeters for a split second before he nods. “Then, we’ll get going now.”

He doesn’t want to ask about the expression that flits across Tenn’s face earlier. The same one that appeared on Haruka’s face earlier that day.

“You know, you  _ are  _ being overprotective over him.”

“Shut it, Gaku. You know I can’t help it.”

“Hey.” Gaku gently maneuvers Tenn so they face each other in the living room before he takes Tenn’s hands in his. Tenn’s gaze flicks to look at their joint hands before his eyelashes flutter slightly when he looks back at him. “Nanase is doing fine this past year. Even without his memories, he seems to be adjusting well. And besides, you know Tsukumo is a decent guy.”

Tenn lets out a breath. “I know...I’m just being irrational, aren’t I?”

“No, you’re just being a good older brother.” Gaku kisses Tenn’s forehead, smiling when he could feel the boy relaxing in his hold. “And in desperate need to unwind. Idol activities have been keeping you busy lately, huh?”

Tenn nods, sighing a little. “I barely managed to convince your dad to give me a week-long break this month. It’s fun singing for my fans, but...I also miss having more time to spend with you and Riku.”

“The bar’s popularity has been kicking off too,” Gaku says with a sigh of his own, “Ever since you came out with both our relationship and the one between you and Nanase, there’s not a day when the bar’s not packed.”

“Do you regret it?” Tenn asks softly.

“Nope,” Gaku answers readily, “It’s good for the business, and I know we’d need to come clean with the truth eventually. I’m surprised there wasn’t much drama about our relationship compared to the one with Nanase. I’m a little disappointed. Was hoping to show off my skills to fight off paparazzi,” he adds playfully.

“Idiot,” Tenn smacks Gaku’s shoulder.

They stare at each other for a few quiet seconds before they both lean in and kiss each other on the mouth. It starts off sweet before Gaku’s hand reaches up to cradle Tenn’s face as he tilts his head and deepens the kiss, his lips coaxing Tenn’s to part. Tenn lets out a soft breathy moan when the tips of their tongues touch.

They stumble back as they kiss, until Tenn’s back hits the wall. They continue kissing for a while, the kiss growing more and more heated with each passing second.

“Why don’t we both unwind and continue this in the bedroom, hm?” Gaku asks roughly.

“I have to prepare for tomorrow…” Tenn says softly but his lips barely leave Gaku’s.

“That can wait,” Gaku replies with a growl before pulling Tenn close and kissing him deeper and sweeter than before.

The night air feels cool on his skin, but Ryo’s hand is warm against his.

Given the hour, the park the pair is at is nearly deserted with the occasional couples here and there. Tenn would scold him for being somewhere lonely like this, but Ryo’s with him so Riku feels at ease being here. Rather than being in a deserted place, it feels like they’re given a tiny bubble of their own to be in for a few brief moments.

“How was dinner, Riku?” Ryo asks cheerfully as they walk side-by-side, “Was the steak rare enough for you?”

“I always feel bad about you taking me out on a meal and I can’t eat anything,” Riku pouts, “I’m sure you would have wanted something else than fancy hotel food.”

“Don’t be silly, my little duck.” Ryo hits Riku very lightly on the head, the gesture playful, “If I wanted things like fast food, I’d have delivery. Or if you’re tired of eating bloody steak and leaving behind dried up meat on your plate, we can go for dessert next time. Feeling the cold in your mouth is an experience itself. Though the reaction of the hotel staff whenever they see your leftovers  _ has _ been amusing…”

When Riku is quiet beside him, Ryo must have misunderstood his lack of reaction for something else because he quickly says something else.

“Or we don’t have to go out for a meal at all! We can always do something else for fun like.... Amusement parks! Or movies! Anything Riku wants, I’ll be okay -,”

“Hey, Ryo-san,” Riku interrupts quietly, “Can...can I ask you something?”

Ryo stops his babbling to peer at the boy beside him. “What is it?”

“I’m grateful...for all the times you’ve spent with me ever since I woke up. Besides Tenn-nii and Gaku-san, you were always there for me,” Riku begins, stopping to face Ryo, his other hand taking Ryo’s free hand so both of their hands are intertwined, “Even back then, you never asked questions and accommodated me however you can, but…” 

From where he is, Ryo could see Riku’s bottom lip trembling.

“Do you ever regret it, Ryo-san?” Riku continues softly, “After I told you what I am and what limitations it brings, do you regret wanting to stay by my side?”

“Riku…” Ryo’s gaze softens. “You know that’s not true. Besides, I told you then, didn’t I? All those months ago when you came clean to what you, Tenn-kun and Yaotome-kun are, I told you I had an inkling. It’s not a major shock. If anything, I was happy you trust me enough to let me know.”

He releases Riku’s hand to stroke his hair.

“Is this what you’re worried about? Silly duck,” Ryo teases, “You don’t need to be.”

Riku exhales a quiet breath. “I know.”

Ryo’s other hand squeezes Riku’s comfortingly and Riku offers him a smile in return. They continue walking down the stone path that leads to a bridge over a small lake. They stop in the middle of the bridge before turning around to lean against the railings. Riku can’t see the lake beneath them, but the moonlight hints at its silvery surface and the tiny ripples that break it every now and then.

Aside from that, the lake seems like black void beneath them and if Riku’s not careful, he might just fall in and never come back up.

“Riku, I’m curious,” Ryo speaks, breaking Riku from his reverie. “Have you...made any progress on recovering your memories?”

Riku blinks. “Um. No, not really,” he confesses. He doesn’t know what kind of expression he’s making, but he quickly erases it with a bright smile. “It’s fine, though! I’m adjusting well and if my memories never return...I think I’ll still be happy without them.”

He feels a hand on his shoulder. He looks up and sees Ryo giving him a side smile. There is something about the way Ryo looks at him that makes him feel vulnerable again. Like he’s being exposed for all the world to see.

“Riku.” Ryo says his name softly in a manner that for some reason, makes Riku want to burst into tears right then and there. “You don’t have to pretend everything’s okay all the time, you know.”

The words did it. All the moments and worries Riku’s been having lately - from the barriers around Haruka, the weight of the pendant around his neck, to the man in front of him who he  _ knows _ is important yet he just can’t seem to figure out why he can’t bear to see him go -

He reaches out to grasp the front of Ryo’s shirt. He could feel his entire body trembling but not because of the cold. 

“I want to know,” he says shakily, “I want to know what happened to me and it’s  _ scary _ that I don’t know anything.” He lets out a strangled sob. “Ryo-san, I...I’m  _ scared _ .”

Ryo doesn’t say anything. He simply wraps his arms around Riku and embraces him, the moonlight being their only witness as he lets Riku cry against his chest.

“Ugh, I finally get to go home today,” a woman complains as she exits the train station, “If I have to work overtime again, I’m quitting.”

She puts on her earphones, turns up the volume of her music player in her phone before she resumes walking down the sidewalk that would eventually take her to her home. She’s glad her home isn’t far from the train station. Just 10 more minutes and she can finally take a nice warm shower and sink into her mattress before drifting off to sleep.

Sounds like a dream, even if it’s only for the next five hours before she has to wake up for work again.

She hums to the melody, completely unaware of the shadow that’s creeping up to her from behind. The shadow gets bigger and bigger and soon a monstrous shape reaches out towards her -

“Hm?” the woman pauses, “Is it just me or is it getting darker than usual -,” She turns around and -

Her screams are cut off by a grotesque sound of flesh being ripped apart, and the spot where she once stood is now splattered with blood.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;) A new villain is here heheh. The chapters will most likely get longer as the story progresses but I hope you liked what's up so far!
> 
> Kudos/comments/bookmarks are appreciated and you can find me on Twitter at @tennssi0907 !


	3. two

**Chapter two**

  
  


Tenn’s skin feels feverishly hot under his touch. 

It matches the heat in Gaku’s own blood which intensifies almost every time Tenn rolls his hips against him as he rides Gaku’s cock. Tenn tries to maintain a rhythm, but even Gaku could tell that he’s slowly losing his grip on control and is now driven by mostly instinct and lust. He could tell by the way the King’s eyes glow bright red in the darkness, which complements Gaku’s own bright blue eyes. He’s panting hard above him, the sound of skin against skin mixing along with their harsh breathing.

Tenn has his knees parted on each side of Gaku with the man keeping him balanced by placing one hand on each knee. Tenn’s hips are positioned forward when he braces his hands on the mattress between Gaku’s parted legs, allowing the chevalier a full view of Tenn’s cock, hard and flushed against the boy’s stomach. The head is already wet with pre-cum which trails down the sides of his cock onto the small patch of skin of Gaku’s stomach. Gaku could see the sweat beading along Tenn’s skin as the boy continued to bounce up and down on top of him, his hole clenching around Gaku’s cock _deliciously._

Gaku could sense the rhythm slowly disappearing and Tenn’s movements started to become more desperate and sloppy. He moans and whimpers above him, his red eyes rolling back slightly as pleasure overwhelms him. He squeaks when Gaku reaches out to pinch one of his nipples, feeling the stiff bud in between his fingers. His other hand rests against Tenn’s stomach, and there is a sense of _possessiveness_ in that touch alone.

“If you’re a Queen, I would have loved nothing more than to impregnate you with our child,” Gaku growls out, “One of the many proofs that you’re mine.”

Tenn laughs breathlessly, his glowing red eyes meeting Gaku’s blue ones. He bares his teeth as his grins, as if to challenge the chevalier. “Why don’t you try to mark me through different ways, Gaku?” he asks in broken gasps when Gaku’s cock hits a certain spot. “Remind me who I belong to - hngh! - just as I always remind you that you’re - h-ah! - _mine_.”

Gaku growls low in his throat, pushing his torso up so that he sits on the mattress with Tenn on his lap. Tenn smiles coyly at his expression, hooking his arms around Gaku’s hips as the man grips Tenn’s bare hips tight enough to leave marks in the morning. Their lips collided with one another’s into an open-mouthed kiss, their tongues tangling wetly as they taste each other to the fullest. Gaku could feel their salivas mixing together and it would have been gross if Gaku isn’t so focused on how hot and how close Tenn is and god, Tenn is clenching down on him and he knows Tenn’s close because his movements are becoming more and more erratic -

He breaks off the kiss to nip at Tenn’s shoulder just as the boy comes with a stuttered cry, his nails digging into the expanse of Gaku’s back. Tenn returns the favor by biting the side of Gaku’s throat as he rides out the high of his orgasm, and when Gaku comes inside of him not too long later, Tenn scratches further down Gaku’s back - hard enough to leave red lines but not hard enough to break skin.

As they bite each other's throat and shoulder, their teeth graze the skin deep enough for the other to feel it, but never enough to draw blood. Even in the throes of passion, the two are always careful with this particular act. It’s okay like this because as long as the bite leaves a visible mark, even just for a short moment before it starts to heal -

Both of them are satisfied with the reminder their partners leave them - a reminder of just who they belong to. 

It is a while later when they lie beside each other on the bed, sweaty and with the air still smelling heavily of sex but the glow in their eyes have died down, that Gaku decides to bring it up.

“You know, our second anniversary is coming up,” he says, smiling at Tenn who is tucked beside him, “Maybe we should do something together to celebrate.”

“Gaku, I see that you’re as sappy as ever,” Tenn teases.

“Oh shut it. You want to, don’t you? It’s been a while since we had time for each other and I don’t think we did anything for our first anniversary.”

“Yes, well.” The smile on Tenn’s face dims at the memory. “It can’t be helped. Riku was still asleep then and we were busy trying to get life into order…” He moves to lie on his back, stretching out his hand towards the ceiling. “There is also...well, there is also one more thing that I’m worried about.”

There is a ring on his finger. Small pink diamonds are encrusted into the silver band, which glitter dimly in the dark room. It had been a gift from Gaku for his recent birthday. Tenn turns his head and smiles gently at Gaku when the latter reaches up to lace their fingers together in the air. 

“About what?” Gaku asks.

Tenn sighs. Their hands are still joint when he brings them downwards to rest between their bodies.

“Riku’s been having nightmares, I think,” he murmurs, “He never brings it up, but on some nights, I could hear him whimpering in his room.”

He counts Gaku’s breaths before he continues. One. Two. Three. Four.

When it reaches eight, he speaks. “If it’s a sign of his memories returning, I honestly don’t know what to predict. I wonder what will happen, and if Riku will take it well.”

Gaku kisses his temple. “Hey now, I understand your concern but whatever happens, Nanase won’t handle it alone. He has us...and also Tsukumo-san.”

Tenn huffs at the mention of that man’s name. “I guess. They _are_ getting closer as of late and I know Tsukumo-san cares for him. I just wish Riku could fall in love with someone his age next time.”

Gaku laughs, tucking Tenn closer against him. “Be nice to your sponsor, Tenn. He did a lot to make sure your concerts went well.” He pauses. “Come to think of it, you two make a pretty good team.”

“Shut it, Yaotome junior.”

Gaku chuckles again, booping Tenn’s nose with his forefinger before he cups the boy’s face in his hand. He smiles tenderly at Tenn when the boy continues to pout at him, kissing the boy on the lips chastely. “Now, now. You look cuter with a smile.”

“I look cute all the time,” Tenn huffs, but responds willingly when Gaku moves to kiss him again. They remain like that for a short while, kissing each other softly and indulging in each other’s warmth and presence. Tenn moves to kiss Gaku’s right eye.

“You tired?” Gaku asks softly when Tenn yawns.

Tenn shakes his head. “I can’t afford to sleep yet.”

“Why?”

Tenn nods at the clock on their bedside table. “It’s nearly 11. Riku will be home soon. I need to know whether I should begrudgingly thank Tsukumo-san for bringing Riku safely back home or decide on which limb I should tear out first if otherwise.”

Gaku sighs.

“I wish Tsukumo-san good luck then.”

  
  


The night seems to pass so quickly. With their hands linked, Ryo and Riku walk down the carpeted hallway of the apartment building, steadily approaching the front door to Riku’s apartment unit. When they reach their destination, Riku turns to Ryo to smile shyly at him, very well aware of their joint hands.

“Thank you for today, Ryo-san. I had a lot of fun,” he says.

Ryo beams in return. “I’m glad. I see that my ability to take you on fun dates hasn’t lost its touch.”

Riku giggles. “It really hasn’t. It makes me a little jealous of the past me who knew you before. I wonder how many exciting dates have we been together that I cannot even remember.” His smile droops at his own words, a shadow settling onto his gaze. A shadow that doesn’t go unnoticed by Ryo.

“There’s more you haven’t told me, isn’t there?” he guesses.

“As expected of Ryo-san. You’re really sharp.”

“No, I’m quite dim-witted when I want to be,” Ryo jokes, before he pats Riku’s hair. “You wear your emotions on your sleeves, Riku. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.” 

“Was I always like this?” Riku asks, “Even the me who I can’t remember?”

There is something different in the way Ryo looks at him now following the question. Riku couldn’t quite put it into words, but it’s the kind of gaze that makes his heart twist and feels him with the urge to hold Ryo close and comfort him. But comfort him from what?

“Sometimes,” Ryo says finally, “When it mattered.” 

His fingers ghost over Riku’s cheek, enough for Riku to feel the warmth of Ryo’s fluttering touches. “Something on your mind, Riku?”

Riku hesitates.

“I told you that I want to remember what happened to me,” he begins, “And while that remains true, there are things I’m honestly afraid to know. Like...Like what happened to Gaku-san,” he confesses in a whisper, “I don’t remember how I made him into my chevalier and though Gaku-san might deny it, there is a feeling in my gut that tells me that it might not have been a pleasant experience. And I…”

Riku presses his forehead against Ryo’s chest, his fingers grasping the front of the man’s jacket. 

“We were separated once, weren’t we? Why…? What happened? I...if we were truly happy, then why weren’t we together until I woke up?” Riku looks at him, eyes shining. “I’m scared that the reason was because I did something really horrible and I -,”

“Hey, hey,” Ryo gently interrupts, “None of that now. I told you, didn’t I? We were separated because of some circumstances...but it wasn’t a separation on bad terms, Riku. If anything, you were trying to protect me.”

“Protect you from _what_ ?” Riku asks, “What...or _who_ was I protecting you from?”

“Riku.”

Ryo doesn’t answer him - not in the way Riku wants, anyway - but he tilts Riku’s chin up so that their eyes meet again.

“Whatever your worries are, just know this,” Ryo says, “No matter what happens, you know I’ll always be by your side right, Riku?”

Riku lets out a shaky breath. “Ryo-san…”

Ryo smiles crookedly. “You can’t get rid of me that easily.”

Riku is touched. That’s the only word that comes to his mind to describe the blooming feeling in his chest that steadily spreads to the rest of his body. Ryo’s smile is so, so gentle and Riku feels safe just looking at it. The man _grounds_ him. He is suddenly very much aware of how close their faces are and he wants so much to lean in and -

Their lips meet halfway and _oh,_ has it truly been this long since Riku last kissed Ryo? Their first kiss since Riku woke up had been during that amusement park date some time ago and they never went beyond that since then out of respect for Riku’s feelings but Ryo’s lips are warm against his and his hands are so heartbreakingly gentle as he cradles Riku’s face and -

Riku _misses_ this. Why did it take him this long to realize how much he misses kissing this man?

At the back of his mind, he wonders if they’re moving too fast. They’ve gone on countless outings before and those outings were definitely classified as dates. They held hands and embraced each other countless times and yet, they’ve never made anything official. Ryo does it in consideration of Riku, who remembers nothing about him and has only been relying on his muscle memory and his gut feeling that Ryo is safe and Riku could trust him -

All those thoughts fly out the window when Riku bites Ryo’s bottom lip and coaxes his lips to part. He wants to taste more of this man. He wants to kiss him deeper until his knees go weak and be reminded just how deep his feelings ran for this man in the past. Ryo isn’t pushing him away; instead, his hands rests on the small part of his back to press him closer against his body. Their tongues touch and it’s like something has been switched on inside of Riku. He moans and cradles Ryo’s face to deepen the kiss even more and _god,_ Ryo is so warm and he could hear his heartbeat and his throat is so close that if Riku just tilts his head and move his mouth there and take a _bite_ -

“Please don’t have sex in front of my house,” Tenn’s voice flatly interrupts.

Ryo and Riku jump back as if they’ve been electrocuted. Tenn catches Riku by the shoulders while Ryo nearly stumbles to the floor. When both of them turn to look at Tenn, the latter has an eyebrow raised, his picture a mask of unamusement as he crosses his arms.

“Tsukumo-san, I know I have usually allowed you to take my little brother on dates, but having sex in front of my house seems to be crossing the line by a mile, don’t you think?” he asks.

“T-Tenn-nii, don’t say it like that! And...You have sex with Gaku-san all the time!” Riku retorts while flushing hard. He sniffs the air. “Ah!” He points an accusing finger towards his older brother. “You _just_ had sex with him, didn’t you? I can smell Gaku-san all over you!”

Now it’s Tenn’s turn to blush. He’s grateful that they have no neighbors. Perhaps, he thinks with some sort of bitterness, it’s because they don’t have any neighbors that his little brother and the man old enough to be his uncle dared to pull such a stunt in the middle of a hallway.

“T-that’s different! Gaku lives here and we’re in a relationship!”

“Then Ryo-san and I are -!”

Riku pauses. Ryo and him...he sneaks a glance at the man. What...are they?

Ryo coughs. “I suppose I should make my leave then. As you can see, Riku is safe and sound and on time. I hope Tenn-kun finds it in his good graces to allow me to keep my head for now?”

Tenn rolls his eyes, crossing his arms. “For now,” he concedes. He turns to Riku. “I’ll wait inside, so you can walk Tsukumo-san to the elevator if you want.”

“T-thank you, Tenn-nii!” Riku smiles. As much as Tenn pretends to hate the relationship between Riku and Ryo - whatever it is -, his brother indulges him regardless. “Ryo-san, I’ll walk you back to the elevator!”

Ryo nods. “Mm. Shall we?”

The walk back to the elevator that would take Ryo back to the main lobby isn’t a very long one, but it allows Riku to gather his thoughts. He sneaks a glance at the man beside him again, squeaking in surprise when Ryo suddenly meets his eyes.

“What is it, Riku?”

“N-nothing!”

When Ryo steps into the elevator later however, Riku gathers all his courage to finally speak out his mind.

“Ryo-san, about earlier, I -,” he tries.

And falters. Yet again.

Ryo doesn’t seem to mind. In fact, as though he is reading Riku’s mind, Ryo smiles kindly at him. He holds the door open long enough for his other hand to reach out and ruffle Riku’s hair.

“Don’t worry about it, Riku,” he says. Just as the elevator doors close, he smiles at him one more time. “Good night and I’ll see you around.”

The elevator doors finally shut and there is a heavy whirring sound as it takes Ryo back to the lobby. In the meantime, Riku remains at the same spot, one hand raised to touch the spot where Ryo previously touched his hair.

His cheeks are deep red as he blushes heavily. 

Riku’s hair is still damp from the shower when Tenn knocks on his door.

“Tenn-nii!” Riku calls out in delight, “You really came with a storybook like I asked.” He nods at the book in Tenn’s hands.

“I will admit that I was surprised by your seemingly random request for me to read you a bedtime story,” Tenn says. He sits beside Riku on the bed, his hand reaching for the towel in Riku’s hand. “Let me do that for you.”

Riku pouts. “You don’t need to. It’s nearly dry, anyway.” He doesn’t stop Tenn however, when the boy takes the towel from him and dries his hair anyway, even leaning into his touch a little. 

“You’re really cute, Riku,” Tenn says with a playful smile, “It’s been a while since I read you a bedtime story. Are you getting clingy again?”

Tenn blinks in surprise when Riku merely turns around and hugs him, burying his head against Tenn’s chest with the towel still on his head. His hands hover awkwardly for a few seconds before he returns the embrace, not saying a word as he listens to Riku’s breathing.

Riku gets like this sometimes. His lack of memories cause occasional mood swings and all Tenn could do is hold him through moments like this.

“I just want some sense of normalcy, that’s all,” Riku finally says, “Tenn-nii?”

“Mm?”

“Tuck me into bed, like you did when we were kids?”

Tenn hugs him tighter and nods into the boy’s red locks.

“Okay, Riku.”

_Once upon a time, there lived a woodcutter. The woodcutter was lonely and longed for a companion. Taking pity on him, the heavens sent him a small lower angel to give him the following task:_

_Seven days from now, on the seventh night of the seventh month, the heavens will open its gates to allow one of its heavenly princesses to bathe in her favorite spot by the waterfall. The woodcutter should steal her rainbow sash - which is the only way for her to fly back to heaven - and persuade her to be his wife. The heavens would guarantee her agreement, under the condition that the woodcutter should not reveal that he has her rainbow sash until she grants him three children._

_The woodcutter went to the waterfall on the seventh night when the moon was high in the sky as instructed by the angel and sure enough, he was greeted by the sight of the most beautiful woman he had ever laid his eyes upon. He quickly took her rainbow sash from one of the tree branches, hid it in his home before returning to the waterfall to find her frantically looking for her sash. He asked her to marry him, despite the fear in his heart that this beautiful woman would reject an ordinary mortal such as himself, but to his delight, the heavens kept their promise and the princess agreed to marry him, her quest for her rainbow sash apparently forgotten._

_Many years later, the pair have led a happy marriage life, with two beautiful children. Satisfied with his life, the woodcutter thought it would be best to come clean to his wife about her rainbow sash and showed the garment to her. At the sight of the rainbow sash, the princess was overwhelmed with the sudden desire to return to heavens and took her children with her as she did, leaving the poor woodcutter alone. Heartbroken, the woodcutter begged the heavens for a chance to see his beloved wife again._

_The princess felt his love for her and sent a heavenly bull to come fetch her husband to bring him to the heavens. However, the path to the heavens was an arduous one and the woodcutter faced the possibility of failure many times, but he persevered and at last, the woodcutter and the heavenly princess reunited. The pair then lived happily in heavens with their children._

It is an old story their foster parents used to tell them back when they still lived in Korea. When they moved to Japan, Tenn continued to tell the story to Riku when his brother couldn’t sleep. Riku had the entire story memorized but never grew tired of it, even if he could probably recite it back to Tenn typically.

Even now, as Riku lies in bed, his eyes already drooping, there is a complaint ready at his lips - a complaint that is so familiar that it makes Tenn smile fondly, while his heart twists inside his chest. It really does bring him back, retelling this story. Back before everything went wrong.

“I like the fact that the woodcutter came clean to her in the end...but that’s basically kidnapping, isn’t it? The fact that the… heavens even allowed it too, I...Makes me wonder if the...heavenly princess...truly loved him…” Riku yawns repeatedly, slurring his words in the process.

“You’re overthinking it, Riku,” Tenn chides without any real bite, “No overthinking when it’s nearly time for bed.”

“Hm...okay…”

Tenn adjusts the blanket, making sure Riku is warm and comfortable on his bed. Just as he is about to say his ‘goodnight’, Riku speaks again with his eyes already mostly shut. 

“Tenn...nii?”

“Hm? What is it, Riku?”

At first, there is silence. Tenn thinks Riku has fallen asleep in the middle of his sentence and is about to check when he hears a soft mumble.

“If Tenn-nii and I are separated again...would Tenn-nii come and look for me?”

Tenn smiles fondly. He brushes away the strands of hair from Riku’s face, his hand lingering there for a few seconds.

“Always, Riku,” Tenn promises, “I’ll always be by your side and if we’re ever separated, I’ll cut down the seas to look for you.”

Riku’s eyes are now fully closed. “It’s good that you’ll cut the seas, Tenn-nii. If they...take you across the ocean, I won’t be able to get you... because I can’t swim. I don’t want...to...drown...before I could see you again.”

Tenn blinks, not knowing what to say to that. It turns out that a reply isn’t needed, because Riku is already asleep, his head lolling to the side on the pillow, his breathing slow and steady. As he watches Riku sleep, the corner of Tenn’s lips lift, though it’s not really a smile. It’s too sad to be called one, and smiles should always be associated with positive feelings if he ever gives one to Riku. 

Therefore, he is not smiling. Not really.

“Riku, I...if it ever comes to that…” he whispers, “Don’t come for me. Stay safe. Stay alive.”

He kisses Riku’s forehead before murmuring his next words into his brother’s ear. Words Riku would not hear.

“Don’t ever drown for my sake.”

_It_ **_hurts_ ** _._

_His entire body is on fire. Someone is stabbing something into him over and over again. It hurts, it hurts, it_ **_hurts!_ ** _Please stop! Riku tries to scream but it’s as if his voice is locked inside his throat. Someone is tearing him to pieces from the inside out -_

_“Let’s have some fun eh, Riku-kun?”_

_Hands. Hands touching him. Make it stop, please,_ **_please -!_ **

_Tenn is in front of him. His brother is kneeling on the floor, holding someone in his arms as he screams in anguish. Riku tries to call out for him but pauses when he sees his own hands. His palms...they’re covered in blood. The world is tilting. Tenn is still screaming. The person in his brother’s arms...Riku could now see his face._

_“Gaku-san -,”_

_“You killed him, Riku!” Tenn cries out in pure anguish,_ **_“You killed him!”_ **

When Riku opened his eyes, he couldn’t see anything. The darkness makes his dream all too real and he couldn’t stop the screams from tearing out from his throat. He screams and screams and screams until his throat hurts and there is a sound of footsteps rushing towards him, followed by the sound of the door being roughly opened.

Ah, that’s right. Riku doesn’t sleep with his door locked these days. It’s too scary.

“Riku!” Tenn calls out to him urgently, “H-hey, shh, it’s okay, it’s okay. Big brother is here now. It’s okay.” He gathers Riku into his arms, his hand rubbing circles onto his brother’s back. “Hey, it’s just a scary dream.”

His brother’s words couldn’t stop Riku’s tears nor the fear in his heart. The dream is much more vivid now and he feels as though that if he closes his eyes, he could see the images behind his eyelids again. The blood. The hands reaching out for him. The cold gleam of metal. 

Gaku’s glazed eyes, as the man lay dead in Tenn’s arms.

“Will Nanase be alright sleeping alone tonight?”

Riku’s head snaps up at the sound of his chevalier’s voice. In the midst of his blind panic, Riku momentarily did not sense Gaku’s presence, but now, he’s all too aware of his presence beside Tenn. Moving from Tenn’s embrace, he blindly reaches for the man.

“Gaku-san, I -,” he sobs, “I…”

“It’s alright, Nanase. I’m here.” 

Just as Riku instinctively seeks comfort from someone who shares the scent of his blood, Gaku is also drawn by instinct to comfort his King. Tenn wordlessly passes his brother to Gaku, allowing Gaku to embrace his young King. Tenn continues to pat Riku’s hair as he murmurs words of comfort to the still crying boy.

Riku, meanwhile, with his emotions high strung feels another different kind of need. A need to seek comfort from his chevalier through another way that is special to only him and Gaku. Special to the bond between a King and his chevalier. 

His irises begin to glow blue and the boy begins to mouth Gaku’s throat. He could hear the rush of Gaku’s blood in his veins.

“Gaku-san, I…” Riku catches Tenn’s eyes as well. “Tenn-nii, I…”

Tenn smiles in understanding. “It’s okay, Riku.” He wipes a stray tear from Riku’s eye. “Go on. We’ll stay with you tonight.”

Gaku presses Riku closer. “Yeah, Nanase. Go on ahead.”

There is something gentle in the way Gaku cradles the back of Riku’s head to encourage him towards his throat. So gentle that when Riku finally gives into his instinct as a King and bites down onto the skin, deep enough to draw blood -

When Riku drinks Gaku’s blood, finding comfort in it, he does so while silently crying as he melts into Gaku’s gentle hold.

And allows his thoughts to drift to the sound of his brother’s soft humming. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The fairytale is based on a popular folktale called "The woodcutter and the fairy" which has various versions with similar plot. The one I based it off has a sadder ending, but for plot's sake, I changed that ;)
> 
> Kudos/comments/bookmarks are appreciated and you can find me on Twitter at @tennssi0907 !


	4. three

**Chapter three**

  
  


Riku’s hair is soft under his fingers.

The room is quiet. Tenn strokes his brother’s hair idly as he watches the boy sleep. There are still traces of tears in his eyes and Tenn swipes them away with his thumb. After feeding from Gaku, Riku had drifted back to sleep just as Tenn’s lullaby reached its end, collapsing against his chevalier’s chest, his brows furrowed even in his sleep.

Riku looks a little calmer now, though little whimpers still slip past his lips from time to time.

“Maybe I should sleep here for the night,” Tenn murmurs, “I don’t think his nightmares have ever gotten this bad.” He looks at Gaku with a troubled expression. “I don’t want him to wake up alone after all that.”

Gaku has one hand on the side of his throat. Though the skin there is still stained with traces of his blood, the bite wounds have already begun to heal. By the time he removes his hand, the skin has closed up entirely. 

“That would be a good idea,” Gaku agrees, “Do you want me to accompany you?”

Tenn nods, one hand reaching out to grip Gaku’s sleeves. “Please. You’re his chevalier. Your presence might help him feel safer.”

“I think he’s the safest around you, Tenn.” 

The creases on Tenn’s forehead deepen. “I couldn’t do anything about his nightmares. I was worried that something like this would happen.” He lets out a breath. “I have a feeling that...his memories are returning. And not only that…”

“Tenn?” Gaku touches Tenn’s cheek lightly, prompting the boy to look at him. “What’s on your mind?”

“A lot of things,” Tenn breathes out, “But mainly…” He turns to Riku again, the expression on his face crumbling. “I feel like something is happening. Or starting to. I can’t shake off that feeling in my gut. I don’t know what it is and I’m worried if it’s something bad, I can’t do anything to stop it -,”

“Hey, hey.” Gaku wraps his arms around Tenn’s shoulders. “Shh. You’re hyperventilating. It’s okay, I’m here.”

Tenn lets out another shaky breath. “I’m sorry. I just…” He leans tiredly against Gaku’s shoulder. “I hope...everything will be alright.” 

Gaku kisses his temple. “It will be. Riku has a reliable older brother to rely on.”

Tenn manages a small smile. “He also has a strong chevalier to keep him safe.”

“Well, I  _ have _ been training my powers.”

Gaku’s playful smug tone manages to bring out a small chuckle from Tenn, who smacks him lightly on the chest with the back of his hand. “Idiot.” He cranes his neck to kiss the side of Gaku’s throat before lacing their fingers together. “Let’s get extra blankets and pillows. We should go back to sleep ourselves.”

“On it.”

Tenn lets Gaku go to fetch their pillows and comforter from their bedroom before he turns to Riku again. He brushes away the strands of hair from Riku’s eyes, allowing the smile on his face to gradually fade away.

“Riku…” he whispers, “I do hope you’ll be safe and sound.”

Haruka’s high school is 20 minutes drive from Riku’s apartment, but since Gaku is busy at his bar today and Tenn has yet to obtain his driving license, Riku had decided to walk there today. With his black mask and black bucket hat, he is for the most part disguised, and as he leans against the brick wall that separates the school and the main road outside, people barely give him a glance.

For a moment, he thinks that Tenn’s usual reminders for him to stay safe seems a little silly. He may have been some sort of singer in the past - a past that he doesn’t even remember now - but now, he is pretty sure that whatever fame and reputation he had should have faded away by now. Celebrities who are inactive for even just a few years tend to share that fate, after all.

But then again, while his own fame may have faded away, Tenn’s career is still steadily climbing. His career as an idol is still rather fresh and with the number of fans he has, Tenn also has eyes on him a lot of time. With his fairly recent confession about his relationship with Gaku and Riku, the number of eyes only increased since then. Still, Tenn works hard to protect everyone’s privacy aside from his own, so Riku feels as though he should try just as hard to help his brother.

“Hey, are we going to the karaoke later?”

A male voice catches his attention, breaking him from his train of thought. Riku realizes that the school gate is now open and a stream of students are beginning to pour out from school. A boy with dark brown hair is walking side by side with his friend just a short distance away from him, his arms slung behind his head.

“You bet! I’ll meet you at the station in an hour?” his friend asks.

“Sure. See ya then!”

Riku watches them wave at each other before they go towards opposite directions. Something in his heart twists, and his hand drifts to his chest subconsciously. 

He and Tenn used to walk to and from school together when they were younger. Riku remembers holding his brother’s hand towards those walks, talking a mile a minute about some exciting thing that happened and Tenn would always smile and listen patiently to him. It’s a habit that persisted even up til middle school. Riku’s hand on his chest slowly curls into a loose fist. 

He wonders if they ever went to high school together. The rest of his teenage years are a massive blank to him and now, it frustrates him more than ever. 

_ Tenn-nii...what kind of life did we lead that I end up forgetting? _

“...Riku-kun?”

There is a girl in front of him now, her hair tied into twin pigtails at the side of her head. She is wearing the same uniform as the rest of the students which would mean she had just been leaving from school when she spotted him. She breaks into a wide smile when Riku looks at her, clapping her hands eagerly,

“I knew it! I knew it was you!” she exclaims.

Crap. It is too late to deny it now that he had responded to the call of his name. He should have been more careful.

“I -I,” he tries to say.

“Even with your disguise, I can still recognize you!” the girl presses, “I’m a big fan of yours, Riku-kun! I was so sad and worried when you suddenly disappeared from the entertainment world. You stopped updating your social media too.”

“U-um, listen, I -,”

The girl is too close for comfort now. Riku is unsure whether she is aware that she is now clearly invading his personal space or if she is doing it on purpose. “Riku-kun, Riku-kun. Tenn-kun said you two are brothers. Does that mean you two live together?” Her voice rises in excitement. “Will you someday sing together on stage?”

Riku backs up uselessly against the wall. “I don’t -,”

“Hey, leave him alone already.”

Riku sighs in relief when Haruka appears by his side. Haruka gives the girl an unimpressed look, already reaching for Riku’s wrist to drag him away.

“H-hey, I was talking to him first!” the girl protests.

Haruka turns back to stick out his tongue towards her. “I don’t really care.” Turning back to Riku, he nods. “Let’s go.”

“Thanks for rescuing me, Isumi-san,” Riku says a while later, “I was caught off-guard.”

“This is why I tell you that it’s fine if I just go to your place on my own,” Haruka sighs, “I knew that sort of thing is bound to happen. You may not remember it, but you were pretty popular in the past, you know.” He pauses. “Judging from the way that girl acted, I’m guessing you still kinda are.”

Riku gives a wan smile. “I just wanted a change in scenery, honestly.”

“Hm...Still, it’s reckless.” Haruka puts his hands behind his head, falling into step beside Riku. “If your brother hears about it, I’m expecting a lecture.”

Riku grimaces. “Don’t remind me.” He pauses, as if remembering something. “Isumi-san, you started school last year, didn’t you? Are you a second-year now?”

Haruka shakes his head. “I skipped a grade. My home tutor taught me lots of stuff in advance so it kinda happened. I’ll graduate at the end of this year, probably.”

“So fast?” Riku says in awe, “You’re amazing, Isumi-san. This is your first time schooling, isn’t it? How do you manage to do it?”

Haruka scratches his cheek, looking a little embarrassed. “I don’t know...I guess things just click for me. But Minato-san is very strict on me, so I guess that sorta helped.”

“Still…” Riku kicks a pebble. “Compared to me…”

“There you go whining again,” Haruka sighs.

“I-I’m not whining!”

“Idiot,” Haruka continues without missing a beat, “I told you to stop overthinking, didn’t I? We’re different people good at different things so don’t worry about it.” He shrugs. “There is more to life than wanting to catch up with school anyway.”

“Then why did  _ you _ do it?”

Riku isn’t sure if he had sounded accusing, but his question made Haruka pause either way. When he turns to Riku, the expression on Haruka’s face isn’t that of anger or anything remotely resembling it. Instead, it seems...thoughtful. Contemplative somehow. 

“I never had much of a childhood,” he finally says, “I know I led a life outside the lab for a number of years, but I don’t remember any of that now. When everything was over, I was already 18. Most people would be done with school by then and yet I have no memory or experience ever going to one.” Haruka looks at his hands, his fingers curling in slightly. “I just...wanted a starting point towards living a normal life, I guess.”

“A normal life, huh?” Riku echoes. 

He could relate to that at least. It’s only by several years, but the gap in his memory is enough to make him feel like he had lost his grip on the sense of normalcy he once took for granted. The fact that he’s not even human aside, he longs for the life where all he had to worry about is those weekly examinations with the scientist and later Kujou - both who are no longer alive. He wanted a life where he could hold hands with his Tenn-nii and talk his ear off about the stories he had of school and friends and to have his brother simply listen to him patiently with an indulging smile.

Instead, he has a giant black hole in his mind that day by day taints the memories he had of the past.

“You’re overthinking again,” Haruka says, breaking his train of thought.

“S-sorry…” Riku bites his bottom lip. “These days, I can’t help it.”

“The nightmares again?” Haruka asks, a hint of sympathy seeping into his tone.

“Yeah…” Riku sighs again, heavier than the last. “I think...they might have something to do with my missing memories.”

Haruka goes silent beside him. “Do you really want to remember what you did in the past?” Haruka asks after a while.

“I...I do,” Riku says with great difficulty.

“Even if it hurts?” Haruka presses, rounding up to face him fully. There is a new intensity in the way he looks at Riku now, so much that it takes the red-haired boy by surprise. “Even if it’s scary?”

Taken aback by Haruka’s barrel of questions, Riku’s hand automatically reaches up to grasp the front of his own shirt, feeling the shape under the fabric. He grips the spot where his pendant rests under his shirt, feeling the shape of the gem as if it could give him the answers he needs.

It doesn’t, and Haruka and Riku spend the remainder of the walk in silence. 

They end up stopping by Haruka’s place so the latter can drop off his bag and grab some more books for Riku’s lessons. It’s the first time Riku ever visits Haruka’s house and he finds himself filled with a sense of excitement.

Compared to the considerably fancy apartment he shares with Tenn and Gaku - courtesy of Yaotome Productions -, the unit Haruka lives with his friend Minami is much smaller, located right by the stairs to the second floor. When they step into the foyer, Riku immediately sees the small living space. It has a coffee table at the center and an old TV pushed back against the wall. There is a sliding door that leads to what Riku assumes as the only bedroom in the house. Haruka disappears inside it after asking Riku to sit in the living space.

“Minami!” he calls out just before he enters the bedroom, “I’ll be quick but I brought someone over.”

A head peeks out from behind a wall that separates the living space and the kitchen. Riku has never met Minami, but he guesses this blonde person smiling at him is him. Like Haruka, Riku could tell from his scent that this person is a Schiff - a type of species that Tenn explained to be similar to man-made chiropterans, created from Tenn’s blood.

“Oh? Nanase Riku-san, is it?” Minami says in a pleasant tone.

“Y-yes!” Riku hurries to bow his head. “Pleased to finally meet you!”

Minami’s smile doesn’t change as he says the next words. “That’s not quite accurate, Nanase-san. We’ve met each other before.”

“E-eh? Ah…” Riku chews his inner cheek. “I-I’m sorry. I don’t think I remember that.”

“It’s alright. It can’t be helped,” Minami replies kindly, “I suppose it’s fun this way. Starting anew.”

“Ha…” Riku trails off, not knowing what else to say.

Minami chuckles. “I apologize. While it’s true that we met before, our relationship never passed the point of you ever knowing my name.”

Riku blinks in confusion. “Why’s that?”

“Oh, one reason or the other day.” Before Riku could even begin to comprehend what Minami could possibly mean by that, Minami is already talking again. “My name is Natsume Minami. Isumi-san told me he mentioned me before in passing?”

“O-oh, yes! I offered an invite to our home.”

“Yes, Isumi-san did say that.” Minami’s tone turns rueful. “I apologize in advance that I can’t accept that offer this time around. I’m busy with work these days. I promise to make time for it in the future, if you’d like?”

“Only if it’s not too much trouble!”

Minami smiles again. “You’re a good person, Nanase-san.”

Riku blinks. He couldn’t help but notice how...melancholic the air around Minami is. It reminds him of another person he knows. Another person who is now watching and hovering him with worry even though he tries not to show it.

“Ah, that reminds me.” Riku watches as Minami scoots over to the shelf pushed back against the wall behind him and pulls out a large brown envelope. He slides it across the table towards Riku. “If you don’t mind, do you mind passing this to Tenn-san?”

“You know Tenn-nii?” Riku asks in surprise.

The corner of Minami’s lips lifts. “I work for him occasionally.” He nods at the envelope. “You can take a look inside, if you want. It’s nothing confidential. Unless of course, you’re a massive fan of the idol Nanase Tenn,” he adds with a wink.

Still in a state of confusion, Riku reaches inside the envelope and pulls out what seems to be a stack of papers. Rather, they’re music sheets. Riku’s eyes drift to the name under the title of the music score.

_ Composer: Natsume Minami. (Serpent Studios) _

“You’re Serpent Studios?!” Riku exclaims with wide eyes, “The one behind a few of Tenn-nii’s songs?!”

“Well to call it ‘studios’ is sort of misleading...it’s really just me. Although Isumi-san helped me sing the demo.” Minami chuckles at the still surprised look on Riku’s face. “But yes, that’s me. I’m not a full-time composer or anything. I still have so much to learn from Yuki-san. I just dabble here and there.”

“D-dabble - Natsume-san, your songs are amazing! They did so well in the charts!” 

“You flatter me, Nanase-san. I only ever wrote B-side tracks. But still, it makes me happy that you like my songs.” Minami pauses. “Come to think of it, Isumi-san told me that you already knew you used to sing in the past.”

“Ah, um. Yes,” Riku shifts, unsure where the change in subject is going, “I don’t remember anything about it, though. Tenn-nii did show me a few videos of me performing. To tell you the truth…” Riku hesitates. “It felt like watching a stranger. I didn’t recognize the person singing in those clips.”

There is a kind expression on Minami’s face. “That’s understandable. Perhaps…This is just a suggestion but… if you sing again, it might jog your memory?”

“Huh?”

“Nanase-san,” Minami begins, “Would you like a song?”

A song...for him? The idea of him singing again feels foreign and almost...terrifying. No, it _ is  _ terrifying. He doesn’t know the person who used to sing, who apparently had as many fans as his brother does now in the past. The girl from early that day comes to mind and the memory of her declaring how much she loved him as a singer leaves a rather unsettling feeling in his stomach.

After all, Riku doesn’t know the person she’s talking about.

“I…”

“You two look like you were getting along already.”

“Isumi-san, we were just having a pleasant talk.”

“I can see that.”

Haruka steps out from his and Mianmi’s shared bedroom, already changed out of his uniform and into more casual clothes. There is a new bag slung on his shoulders, presumably with the books he wanted to pick up. He glances at Riku before he nods.

“Let’s go.”

“R-right!” Riku scrambles to his feet before bowing to Minami again. “It’s nice talking to you, Natsume-san.”

“Likewise, Nanase-san.”

Just before Riku steps out through the main door, he feels a hand on his elbow. He turns around to see Minami behind him, motioning him to lean in closer. Furrowing his brows in confusion, Riku does what he is told.

“My offer is open whenever you feel like it,” Minami whispers into his ear.

“I...Thank you, Natsume-san,” Riku whispers back.

Although he doesn’t know if he’ll ever take Minami up for it anytime soon.

Haruka doesn’t stay long that day. By the time the sun sets, Riku is already waving Haruka off at the door with the promise of coming over to Haruka’s next time. Haruka merely replies with a half-hearted grumble before he disappears into the elevator. 

“It’s still early,” Riku muses, “Maybe I should look over at the questions Isumi-san gave me -Ugh-!”

Hit with a sudden wave of dizziness, Riku stumbles back against the main door, his hand reaching out to clutch at his forehead. He is glad that neither Tenn nor Gaku are back yet or they would surely fuss over him as usual. The pain in his head not subsiding, Riku weakly walks over to the living room and stumbles his way towards the first sofa he sees. His knees weaken the moment he reaches it, his body crumpling onto it like a leaf.

“W-what’s happening…?” Riku grits out. The dizziness is not fading away; instead it crashes onto him like wave after wave. Riku squeezes his eyes shut when the lights above him start to hurt. “I should...sleep it off…”

As if his body is already ahead of him, not too long after he says those words, Riku feels his consciousness slipping away before he passes out on the sofa, his expression twisted in pain and discomfort.

_ He sees himself. He hears himself. But Riku does not recognize neither the face nor the voice of the person that stands in front of him, even though he knows that the boy is him. His expression is twisted into cruel delight with the sneer on his lips and the maniacal glimmer in his eyes, but that boy is undoubtedly Riku. _

_ A Riku from a past he doesn’t remember. _

_ “Silly Tenn-nii,” the other him purrs, “You forgot to coat it with your blood.” _

_ Riku belatedly realizes that the other him has a sword pierced through his heart, the sight made even more gruesome with the fact that the one at the other end of the sword is none other than Tenn himself. Riku watches in stunned silence as the other him grips the blade with his hands and pulls it out of his body before tossing it aside like the weapon is merely a toy.  _

_ The other him curls his upper lip into a mocking smile. “How careless.” _

_ When the other him lands a powerful kick onto Tenn, Riku very much wants to scream. Stop hurting Tenn-nii, he wants to yell. But it’s as if he’s trapped behind a glass and no matter how much he shouts, the two individuals in front of him cannot hear him. _

_ “Shall I teach you how you should have done it, Tenn-nii?” he hears himself say. _

_ The other him grabs the sword thrown to the side and cuts his own palm with it, coating the blade with his blood. He raises the sword above Tenn much to Riku’s horror. _

**_Don’t! If you do that, Tenn-nii will -_ **

_ No sooner than he thinks of that, the other him lets out a shrill laughter as he slams the blood-stained sword deep into his own brother’s heart. _

He is screaming. He knows he is. He could hear his own voice, along with the loud thumping of his heart and the rush of his blood in his ears. He screams and screams and screams and he doesn’t stop even when he feels hands on him again.

He smells Tenn first. His brother’s scent and presence are surrounding him like a blanket, covering him as if trying to ground him back to reality.

Then, Riku smells Gaku. His chevalier’s blood smells like Riku’s own, and the familiarity of it would normally make Riku want to seek him out due to his instinct at Gaku’s creator, but right now -

Everything feels overwhelming. Both his brother and his chevalier.

“Stop it, stop it!” he shouts, finally gaining back some of his senses enough to make such a reaction, “I don’t need your comfort.”

Tenn pulls away like he had been stung. Even Gaku looks surprised, though Riku doesn’t blame him. Doesn’t blame either of them, really. This is perhaps the first time Riku had outright rejected their attempts to calm him down.

But he can’t help it. The agitation he feels right now...it’s too much to be comforted by their words or presence alone.

“I’m sorry you had to come home to see me like this,” Riku mumbles. He had stopped screaming but he’s still rather heavily and the pounding of his heart has not relaxed. Tenn and Gaku could hear it, of course. Even if Riku disregards the fact that they’re both chiropterans, the worried look on their faces says enough.

“Riku, did you have another nightmare?” Tenn asks worriedly, “Do you want to talk about it?”

Riku looks up to gaze at Tenn. The face looking at him is now filled with concern, but back in the dream, Tenn had first looked at him with pure hatred as he drove the sword into Riku’s heart, before it changed into shock when the Riku in his dream did the same to him - this time, the sword stained with his blood which would have undoubtedly killed Tenn.

He shivers, his hands pushing Tenn away.

“No. I think I’ll just take a walk.” He stands up, still quite unsteady on his feet. “Alone,” he adds pointedly at Gaku and Tenn.

Gaku frowns. “It’s already late.”

Riku glances at the clock on the wall. Sure enough, it’s already 10 PM. Did he really sleep for that long?

“I won’t go far,” Riku promises, “I’ll take my phone with me, too. Don’t worry about it.” Seeing their still worried expressions, Riku tries to smile. “I won’t take long. I just need to clear my head.”

“...” The conflict on Tenn’s face is as clear as day. “...Please be careful,” he says at last.

“I will,” Riku says. With his brother and chevalier still watching him, he walks over to the foyer, shrugs on his coat and slips on his shoes before he places a hand on the doorknob. He turns towards them one more time.

“I’ll be off.”

The apartment he lives in is located near a stadium where Tenn frequently performs it. The stadium overlooks a river, and it is this river that Riku finds himself walking at a lot. He doesn’t know why he’s so drawn to this particular place - he only knows that whenever he finds his heart troubled one way or the other, he would find himself going here to clear his head time and time again. He has a sneaking suspicion that the only reason Tenn only allowed him to leave is that he knows where he would end up at.

Well, it doesn’t matter. 

“Still...it’s calming here,” Riku says to no one in particular.

It’s calm enough that it’s easy for his mind to drift and he starts thinking about the nightmare he had earlier that evening. It brings a frown to his face but he continues thinking about it regardless. Like the other dreams he had in the past, this one had felt too real. It felt as though it wasn’t merely a dream - but a fragment of the past he had forgotten.

A piece of his memory, returning to him in the most terrifying ways possible.

Or perhaps it’s not the way it returned to him that is terrifying. Perhaps it’s just the memory itself. But to think of the dreams as his memories would mean acknowledging that all the terrible things he had seen in them - including stabbing Tenn with a blade coated with his own blood - 

Had happened.

Riku shakes his head. It’s scary to think about and in his heart, it amplifies the part of him that is hesitant to find out the truth.

_ “Even if it hurts? Even if it’s scary?” _

“I don’t know, Isumi-san,” he whispers, “I…”

He stops. His body tenses when it senses a change in the air - a change that he didn’t notice before.

He’s no longer alone on this pathway.

“Who’s there?!” he calls out. It’s a foolish thing to do and in normal circumstances, Riku knows it would be wise to ignore it and run away as quickly as possible. But the presence he felt...didn’t feel human.

In fact, it feels like -

A figure steps out from behind a tree in front of Riku. The person’s face is covered with a hood, but their body structure along with the sound of their voice when they speak hints the person in front of him is a man.

“Long time no see, Nanase Riku-kun,” he says.

A man…

And a chevalier. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;)
> 
> Kudos/comments/bookmarks are appreciated and you can find me on Twitter at @tennssi0907 :)


	5. four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Mentions of previously occurred rape. Some gore and blood(though nothing extremely explicit.)

**Chapter four**

  
  


“W-who are you?” Riku asks, failing to keep his voice even a second too late, “How do you know my name?”

The man has the top half of his face covered by his hood, leaving the smirk that curls his lips free exposed for Riku to see. “I’m hurt, Riku-kun. Did you truly forget about me? I’d like to think I made quite an impression on you.”

Riku takes a step back. He can’t see the man’s face, but he definitely notices the particular scent of his blood to know that this man isn’t human. He looks around instinctively. If a chevalier is here, that means either a King or a Queen must be nearby too. After all, they often come in pairs and are rarely apart, so if Riku could find whoever the man’s creator is -

“If you’re looking for my Queen,” the man drawls, “I wouldn’t recommend that. She’s dead.”

Riku blinks. “...What?”

The man’s smirk deepens. “She’s dead, Riku-kun. I killed her.”

Riku backs away once more, dread filling him. “That’s impossible,” he says with a voice barely above a whisper, “You can’t kill your creator. You won’t be able to because of...because of -,”

“My loyalty towards her?” the man finishes, “It  _ was _ troublesome, I will admit. But I had my ways.” He raises his hand and Riku watches with slow, drawn-out horror as the limb shapes into something monstrous, his fingers morphing together into a sharp blade-like appendage. “But you’re not my creator. So that means…” His smile widens to reveal a row of sharp fangs. “I can kill you no problem.”

As helpless as he is now, Riku could no longer afford to hesitate, even if he has no idea what the hell is going on. He turns around and  _ bolts _ as fast as he could.

The man is laughing behind him. “This is fun! Like a game of tag!” 

Riku tries to block out his words and focus on running but he lets out a yelp when he feels something hard slamming against his back, knocking him forwards. He slams painfully against the concrete ground, rolling to his side. By the time he opens his eyes, his vision is hazy with white-filled edges. He sees a faint shape in the middle of his field of vision. His heart thumps wildly in his chest as he rolls quickly to the side, the man’s blade-like hand stabbing straight into the concrete just inches away from Riku’s shoulder.

Riku barely missed the man’s attack. He is breathing hard as he gets onto his feet, the adrenaline being the only thing keeping him steady. 

“Oh, so you do have some fighting spirit left in you,” the man remarks, his tone dripping with amusement. He pulls back his hand from the ground and positions it in front of his face. “And here I thought your memory loss turned you into an easy target.”

“You know...about that?” Riku gasps out.

There is that smile on the man’s face again, hinting that he is enjoying the current situation. “I’ve heard rumors here and there. But the fact that you don’t recognize me is enough as proof, really.”

Riku swallows heavily. His body is tense, his legs positioned to run again. “Who are you?”

“Telling you would be too easy,” the man replies with a chuckle, “Tell you what, Riku-kun. Survive this, and I’ll answer your question.”

Riku barely has time to react after that. No sooner after the man says those words, he launches himself towards Riku again, his hand raised ready to attack. Riku isn’t ready. He squeezes his eyes shut and braces himself for the pain.

That ends up never coming. 

“Ho…?” he hears the man drawl, “Is this Tenn-kun I’ve only heard about? You  _ are  _ a pretty face.”

Riku’s eyes fly open just as he hears the sound of metal clanging against something hard. He registers a shadow above him before his eyes meet Tenn’s glowing red eyes and the hard set of his jaw as his brother glares at the man. His katana is pressed against the man’s blade-like hand, remaining there until the man pulls back and jumps a few feet behind. 

“T-Tenn-nii?”

“Tenn! Nanase!”

Gaku comes running over, his own hand already morphed into monstrous claws. His eyes shine bright blue and his lips are parted slightly to reveal his sharpened and elongated fangs. 

Riku is halfway back to his feet when he hears the man laugh.

“Looks like your brother and your chevalier are here to rescue you, little duck!” 

“I couldn’t ignore the bad feeling I had after you left,” Tenn murmurs, pulling Riku back to his feet, “I’m glad I decided to follow it.”

“Tenn-nii, that man...he said he knows me,” Riku stammers, holding onto Tenn’s sleeve. 

“What?” Tenn turns back towards the man, his eyes narrowing into a glare. The man’s lips pull into a smile, his hand now back to normal as he makes a sweeping gesture with his arms.

“How sweet. Both chiropteran Kings are protecting one another instead of killing each other,” he says mockingly, “Although…” He hums. “This makes for an interesting twist for my plan.”

“Who are you?” Tenn demands, “What do you want with my brother?”

Riku feels a rush of cold air before he sees Gaku standing in front of Riku to block him from the man’s view. He positions his claws threateningly in front of him, his expression hostile to match the one on Tenn’s face. Riku tries not to let the emotion show on his face, but being protected like this while he himself is unable to do anything…

He feels pathetic.

“Riku-kun,” the man croons, taking back Riku’s attention, “I promised, didn’t I? If you survive long enough, I’ll tell you. Granted, your pretty brother and chevalier had to protect you for you to achieve that.”

Riku flinches, not missing the poison dripping from the man’s voice. He doesn’t see the worried glance Tenn casts his way, nor the subtle look Gaku gives him from over his shoulders. He’s too focused on the man, who now has one hand on his hood.

“Perhaps my face will help you jog down memory lane,” he says.

He pulls down his hood with a flourish, finally revealing his face to the three of them. At first, nothing clicks. The man has a pleasant looking face - handsome, even, despite the terrible look in his eyes and the mocking smile pulling his lips. Riku’s eyes sweep across the man’s upswept dark brown hair, his glowing red eyes, the bridge of his nose and his sharp jawline. He looks older than Gaku, but young enough that Riku guesses his age to be in his late twenties at most.

His features don’t ring a bell and he is about to say just that until the man speaks again.

“My name is Sato Yukio,” he says, “Don’t you remember, Riku-kun? Back at the lab, we had so much fun together.” He smirks. “Dogs and all.”

That is when a particular memory rushed into Riku’s head. He gasps loudly, falling to his knees as he clutches his forehead, his expression twisting in pain. He could only distantly hear Tenn frantically calling out to him and Gaku growling before moving to give chase to the man. He collapses onto his side, forced to endure wave after wave of images flooding into his head.

The image of a cold, sterile lab cell. Yukio’s cold smile as he entered the room, two dogs leashed beside him. Riku, huddled at the corner of the room, weak and terrified. 

_ “My boys want a playmate, Riku-kun,” he coos, “Won’t you entertain them?” _

Hands holding him down, parting his legs. Claws digging into his skin. Something foreign and hard pushing into him, tearing a scream out from his throat. Riku begging for mercy yet getting none in return. This man….he…. Once upon a time, he -

“Riku!” Tenn cries, “Riku! What’s wrong, tell me please!”

The pain and the memories are overwhelming Riku to the point that he could not even let out a scream. He feels sick and he wants to throw up, but his body is weighed down by the pain that comes with remembering. The edges of his vision are starting to blur, and by the time he blacks out, one last memory flashes through his mind. The memory of Yukio, caressing Riku’s hair, smiling down at him as Riku stares blankly at the ceiling.

_ “I had fun, Riku-kun.” _

When he wakes up, the first thing Riku sees is the white ceiling. There is a chandelier at the corner of his vision, which means this couldn’t be his room, but then he sees Gaku’s face peering down at him a second later and realizes -

He’s at home, at the very least.

“Nanase!” Gaku’s expression is that of relief. “Thank god you’re awake.”

Riku’s throat feels really hoarse. He grasps into empty air, his voice coming out as barely audible groans. His discomfort must have shown on his face because Gaku is already gently helping him into a sitting position on the sofa he had been lying on before he presses his wrist against Riku’s lips.

“You must be thirsty,” Gaku murmurs, “Here. You can drink mine for the time being.”

Riku doesn’t even have time to protest. He grabs hold of Gaku’s wrist, mouthing the skin for a moment until he feels his fangs sharpening. He bites down hard enough to break the skin and the moment Gaku’s blood touches his tongue, his head feels clearer than before. He drinks from Gaku’s wrist in relative silence, the only sounds escaping from his lips being soft whimpers. When he is done, he licks at the wound with his tongue to hasten the healing before he pulls back, letting go of Gaku’s wrist.

“Thank you,” Riku says softly, “I feel better now.”

He looks around his surroundings. The heavy curtains are still drawn over the windows yet he could see the beginning of shadows forming at the gaps between the curtain and the floor. It must be nearly sunrise - or is already sunrise. “How long was I unconscious for?” Riku asks.

“Just for a couple of hours,” Gaku says, “I just got back myself. Tenn’s the one who took care of you while you were unconscious.”

Riku automatically cranes his neck to look for the aforementioned person only to find him nowhere in sight.

“He’s taking a shower,” Gaku informs, “He was visibly anxious when I returned so I asked him to clean up and go to sleep in the meantime. But since you’re awake -,”

“Riku!” Tenn’s voice drifts into the living room. He appears not a moment later, his hair still damp from the shower. He drops the towel he's holding around his neck as he practically runs his way towards Riku, pausing just in front of him before kneeling beside the sofa. “You’re awake! I thought I heard your voice from my room.” He raises his hand to touch Riku’s cheek, but his hand stops just before it reaches the skin. “Can I…?”

Riku responds by leaning into Tenn’s touch, pressing his cheek against his brother’s hand. “I’m sorry for worrying you. I’m better now.”

“Did you have another nightmare?” Tenn asks.

Riku shakes his head. “If I did...I don’t remember it.” In fact, it’s the first time in ages where he didn’t dream. How ironic. He clutches his forehead anyway, his brows furrowing. “Though...that man...Sato Yukio.”

Tenn and Gaku tense at the name.

“His face...brought back memories I’d rather not remember,” Riku says with a shudder. The memories are vague and still rather shapeless, but he could feel the touches ghosting along his skin and the pain he felt had been almost palpable. 

He only realizes that his words had been followed by silence when he looks up and sees Gaku and Tenn exchanging worried glances.

“What sort of memories?” Tenn asks carefully.

Riku finds himself hesitating to answer. The memories are vague and shapeless, but they still somehow bring about a feeling of shame. There is a lump in Riku’s throat and his tongue feels heavy. “I…”

There is a knock on the door, effectively cutting off his words.

Gaku looks towards the main door. “They must be back.”

Riku blinks. “...’They’?”

Tenn sighs. “Gaku enlisted help from some old faces to track down that man. Gaku, you said you lost him, right?”

“Yeah. That man is quick on his feet,” Gaku grumbles, “But I did ask a few people to track him down.”

He walks over to the main door, placing a hand on the doorknob before twisting and pulling the door open. Standing at the door, Riku could see a small group of people. Even with the rather small doorway, he could still see their faces quite clearly.

Minami and Haruka are surprisingly among them. From the smell of the person’s blood, Riku could tell the shorter figure beside Haruka is a Schiff but it’s an unfamiliar face. The two men who are already stepping inside the apartment unit are also faces Riku doesn’t recognize - wait…

They seem vaguely familiar. When he looks at the shorter figure beside Haruka again, there is that same vague sense of familiarity coming from him as well. 

“Nanase, I’m sure you know Isumi,” Gaku says.

“And Natsume-san,” Riku adds distantly.

“Oh?” Gaku looks surprised. “Huh, I didn’t know you two have met.” He gestures to the other Schiff. “This is Izumi Mitsuki.” Then, Gaku gestures to the blonde man on his right. “This is Rokuya Nagi. The one beside him is Nikaido Yamato,” he continues, referring to the dark-haired man beside Nagi.

“Um...nice to meet you,” Riku mumbles, unsure of what to say.

“We lost him,” Yamato says, cutting straight to the chase. He casually throws himself on the opposite sofa, sighing heavily. The rest of the newcomers pour into the living room, situating themselves at varying points of the room. “We managed to trace his movements far enough to find something interesting though.”

“Nanase Riku-san,” Nagi speaks, looking straight at Riku, “How much have your memories returned?”

Riku blinks, surprised by the sudden question. “Not by much.”

“Do you remember this place then?”

Nagi takes out his phone before facing the screen towards Riku. Riku, Gaku and Tenn lean forward to look at the image, their faces a different yet somehow complementary combinations of expression. The image depicts an empty patch of ground and upon closer inspection, Riku sees that the ground shows signs of being burned. 

“I...I don’t know,” Riku says at last, “Where is this place?”

“It’s a lab,” Mitsuki answers, pushing his back off the wall, “Or used to be, anyway. Iori and I grew up there, along with the two of them,” he adds, pointing towards Haruka and Minami. “It’s a facility where Schiffs were made.”

“But as you can see,” Minami says, “It’s gone.”

Riku doesn’t miss the mention of Iori’s name, his hand raising to clutch at the pendant resting against his chest out of reflex. His eyes flicker towards Mitsuki briefly. This Schiff must know Iori very well then, enough to refer to him casually by his first name.

Then, he focuses on the image in front of him.

“Schiffs were made here…” Something clicks inside his head. He turns towards Tenn. “They used your blood, didn’t they?” he asks urgently, “Were you kept there?”

There is a brief moment of an awkward silence before Tenn finally shakes his head.

“I wasn’t,” is all he says.

“No, but you were,” Haruka finishes, his voice ringing across the room.

“Isumi-san,” Minami chastises, but it’s already too late. Riku is already giving Haruka a bewildered look. 

“I was? I don’t...I don’t remember that.” But he doesn’t remember a lot of things. Just because he doesn’t remember it, it doesn’t necessarily mean it never happened. 

Yamato sighs again. “Yes well, that fact is both not important and important right now.”

Tenn frowns beside Riku. “What do you mean?”

“The lab’s location is meant to be top secret. Not even the government knows about it. That’s how it lasted for as long as it did after the Schiffs escaped and left the place in ruins. But as you can see from the photo...it’s not just ruins. There is nothing left. Nothing from the lab, either. The archives of books, the scattered documents...all gone.”

“Like it’s been wiped off from existence,” Gaku says quietly.

“Bingo. And if it’s been wiped out this thoroughly, it couldn’t have been done by just one person. So…”

“We concluded someone must have leaked the location of the lab to the government,” Nagi finishes, “And no one outside the staff members and Kujou Takamasa know where it is. Kujou and all of the scientists are all dead. Yamato and I confirmed it ourselves.”

“And the ones who were previously missing,” Mitsuki adds, “Were eventually tracked down by Kujou’s Corpse Corps and killed. All except one.”

Mitsuki nods to Minami, who takes out an old photograph from his pocket before handing it to Riku. The moment he sees the face, Riku feels the nausea returning and he throws the photo away out of reflex, scrambling against his brother as if the photo electrocuted him.

The newcomers don’t seem fazed by Riku’s reaction. They almost seemed as if they had been expecting it.. 

“We kept an old file of the scientists we were trying to track down and his name is the last one that has yet to be crossed out,” Yamato says, “He is the only one we couldn’t find a body of. That is...until today’s incident.”

On the photo, looking a little younger than he does now, is a bespectacled man with dark brown coiffed hair. He has a genial smile on his face, but his eyes are dark - like they are something to the point. Riku’s own eyes drift to the nametag pinned on the man’s lab coat as if making sure his eyes are not deceiving him.

The name on the tag says -

Sato Yukio.

Riku sits cross-legged on his bed, watching as the sunrise brings in rays of light into his room. The light filters through the curtains, casting shadows of his hands onto the mattress. He could hear shuffling outside his room. Tenn is getting ready for work and he could hear Gaku talking to someone on the phone. The rest of the newcomers had left with promises of an update should they find any, and with nothing else to do, Riku decides to retire to his room.

Usually at this time of the day, he would be out and about around the apartment, trying to make himself useful. He would help with chores or catch up with his studies. Sometimes, he would even accompany Gaku to work to help him around his bar. Other times, he would watch his brother’s shows on the TV, smiling along with his fans as his brother sings on stage.

Today, after everything that is going on, Riku doesn’t know what to do with himself. It’s the beginning of the day, so sleeping again is out of the question for him. Even if it isn’t, he’s too afraid to fall back unconscious. Not with the nightmares still persisting. Not with the face of Sato Yukio still lurking at the back of his mind.

He groans, collapsing back against the pillows. Even the name brings back nausea. He shivers, curling into himself as he lies on his side. 

Sato Yukio had been one of the scientists that worked at the now destroyed lab, previously presumed to have been killed alongside the other scientists. The same lab that Haruka said Riku used to be at, even though Riku has no memory of such a time.

But Riku’s nightmares had consisted of him being huddled in a cold, dark room, and Yukio made it clear that the two once knew each other. Did they meet at the lab? What did Yukio do to him? Why does the mere memory of him, vague as it is, make Riku sick to the stomach and fill him with the desire to tear his own skin off?

_ “We had a lot of fun. Dogs and all.” _

The feeling of pain splitting him into half. Claws digging into his skin, hands holding him down -

The sudden ringing of his phone cuts through the loud beating of his heart. Riku scrambles for his phone, grabbing it from the bedside table. The corner of his lips lift slightly when he sees the caller ID, his finger already pressing the answer button.

“Ryo-san,” he breathes.

_ “Good morning, my little duckling,” _ greets Ryo from the other line,  _ “Did you sleep well?” _

Riku doesn’t allow himself to pause on the question for too long. “I slept...fine,” he manages, “What about you, Ryo-san?”

_ “Oh, Riku.”  _ There is a theatrical sigh, which makes Riku smile a little wider. He hangs onto the phone like it is his lifeline, Ryo’s voice keeping him grounded on what otherwise felt like a turbulent river.  _ “I was so busy last night that when I arrived home, I nearly fell asleep at the doorway. I didn’t, of course.” _

“That’s good, Ryo-san.”

_ “Anyway, I didn’t call you to bore you with my work stories. I wanted to know if you have plans for today.” _

“I...I’m not sure.”

_ “That’s fine! I have the day off today and I was wondering if you’d like to go somewhere with me. Like on a date.” _ Ryo laughs.  _ “Of course, I’ll phone your brother for his permission. Would still want to keep my head, after all!” _

Riku tries to laugh along with him, but it ends up sounding forced and ends up trailing off awkwardly.

_ “You can text me if you decide you’re up for it, Riku.” _

“Actually -,” Riku says, hesitating for a second, “I...I don’t think I want to get out of the house today.”

The tone of his voice must have given his true emotions away because the next time Ryo speaks, his voice is lowered and subdued.

_ “Are you alright, Riku?” _

Riku nearly wants to laugh at how easily Ryo could read him, even without looking at his face.

“No,” he says, his voice already breaking. He could hear shuffling of movements from the other side of the line. 

_ “Do you want me to come and see you?” _

Riku grips the phone tighter.  _ “Please,” _ he says into the silence of the room.

Riku takes Ryo to the roof of the apartment when the man arrives at his door, no sooner than 15 minutes later. His hair had looked as though it had been swept by the wind and he was still breathing pretty heavily by the time Riku opened the door. 

“Did you run here, Ryo-san?”

Ryo had flashed him a smile. “Something like that.”

After greeting Tenn and Gaku, the latter giving Riku a pat on the shoulder before he left for his idol schedules, Ryo follows Riku to the elevator to go to the highest floor, before climbing the emergency stairs to the roof. It is one of the few places here that they are usually guaranteed privacy and sure enough, when they arrive, there is no one there but them.

The breeze feels good against his skin, calming Riku’s nerves that by the time Riku speaks to Ryo, his voice no longer wavers.

“Sorry I asked you to come here all of a sudden.”

“Riku, you don’t have to apologize for that. Is there something you want to talk about? You sounded...you sounded a little weird over the phone.”

“It’s...it’s a long story,” Riku says with great difficulty, “To be honest, I’m not even sure if I should -,”

“Tell me,” Ryo finishes. He grabs Riku’s hands. “If it bothers you to this extent, I want to know.”

And so, Riku tells him. Ryo doesn’t interrupt him even once, though his expression changes frequently. From shock to anger to worry, and by the time Riku finishes telling him what happened, Ryo is quiet. Riku shifts on his feet, nervously waiting for Ryo’s reaction.

“Ryo-san…?”

He squeaks in surprise when Ryo pulls Riku into a bone-crushing hug, burying his face at the crook of the boy’s neck.

“R-Ryo-san?!”

“I’ll keep you safe, Riku,” Ryo promises, holding Riku tighter, “I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

Not knowing what to say, Riku stands still, only lifting his hands to properly return the embrace. He squeezes his eyes shut. Tears leak from them as he nods.

“Mmph.”

A few days end up passing by just like that. 

Every single one of those days, Riku doesn’t miss a single night where he would have the same nightmare. There will be small changes in those dreams - sometimes, Riku would find himself strapped to a metal table instead of huddling in the corner of the dark cell; or sometimes the pain would be burning hot instead of feeling like ice being forced into his veins; or sometimes the hands would be replaced with mocking voices, taunting him to fight back even though they know he wouldn’t.

But ultimately, those dreams would always end with Riku screaming himself awake and his brother and chevalier rushing into his room to calm him down. It’s gotten to the point where last night, he ended up clutching onto the two of them like a helpless child as he begged them not to leave. Since his bed is too small to fit the three of them, last night Riku had spent the remainder of his night sandwiched in between Tenn and Gaku. He only successfully drifted off to sleep thanks to Tenn singing to him and Gaku’s calming presence next to him.

Still, being that weak...it’s not something Riku is proud of. If the nightmares he had are truly his memories returning to him, Riku’s afraid to know what else he ended up forgetting. Haruka’s questions ring in his ears.

_ “Even if it hurts? Even if it’s scary?” _

Riku clenches his jaw. “I don’t know,” he mumbles to himself, “I don’t -,”

“Nanase.”

Startled by the sound of Gaku’s voice, Riku drops the glass he is washing, effectively shattering it into the sink. He flinches, looking at the shattered pieces briefly before turning towards Gaku. “S-sorry! I didn’t mean to.”

He is grateful that the bar is mostly empty today. The only customer is seated way at the back and he doesn’t look as if he noticed Riku’s accident.

“You’re really distracted,” Gaku says, “Are you sure you’re up to helping me today? You can go home if you’re tired.”

Riku shakes his head. “If I go home, I won’t have anything to do.” He picks up one broken glass before he winces when it cuts his finger. A red line forms on the skin. The wound begins bleeding soon after.

“You’re definitely distracted. Don’t touch the glass shards; I’ll take care of it,” Gaku replies, already stepping in front of Riku. He slips on a pair of washing gloves before grabbing a plastic bag from one of the drawers. He carefully makes a sweeping motion with one hand, shoving the glass shards into the bag before depositing it into the trash can.

“It wouldn’t have mattered if I got hurt,” Riku mumbles, “I heal very fast anyway.” To prove his point, he holds up his previously cut finger, the skin now free from any wound.

“An injury is still an injury.” Gaku sighs. “You can go home for today, Nanase. The bar isn’t busy tonight so I can handle it on my own. I’ll call Yuki-san or Momo-san to pick you up.”

Riku clenches his fists. Although a part of him knows that Gaku is saying this out of concern, there is an irrational part of him that insists that Gaku is dismissing him. It hurts and it’s frustrating, and Riku feels a spark of anger in his chest.

“I said I’m fine,” he grits out, “I don’t need to go home.”

Gaku frowns. “You look exhausted, Nanase. You haven’t been sleeping well enough these days. I don’t want you to force yourself.”

“I’m not,” Riku insists, “I’ll be fine.”

“Nanase -,”

“I said, I’m fine!” Riku slams the countertop. This time, the customer at the back notices. Riku couldn’t see the man’s face clearly but he could tell that the man was looking at both of them. Riku couldn’t bring himself to care. “Why are you so pushy, Gaku-san?” he asks angrily. He looks at Gaku and feels his eyes burning blue. “Just obey your master and  _ leave me alone! _ ”

Gaku stumbles back, taken by surprise by the force in Riku’s voice. The same emotion flashes through Riku like lightning, but it is quickly overrode by a new emotion by the time the blue in his vision fades away to be replaced by a bright and vivid shade of red.

There is blood on Gaku’s chest, dripping from the hole that goes straight through the man’s chest. Behind him, Sato Yukio stands there with a mocking grin on his face.

_ “What a monster you are, Riku-kun. I see that your true colors are showing.”  _

_ “No!”  _ Riku screams, backing away. His legs hit a stool, causing him to lose his balance before he crashes to the floor.  _ “Stop it, go away!”  _ he wails, covering his face with his hands.

“Nanase?!” Gaku rushes towards him, kneeling in front of him. “Hey, what’s wrong?!”

“That m-man...Gaku-san, I-I…” Riku uncovers his face, his expression twisting into shock when he sees that there is no more blood on Gaku’s shirt and his chest is intact. All he sees is Gaku looking at him in worry, his hands hovering above his shoulders. Had he imagined the entire thing? He looks left and right, and sure enough, Yukio is nowhere in sight.

Had he been hallucinating? Is he losing his mind?   
  


“G-Gaku-san,” he stammers, “I don’t want to go home...but I don’t think I can stay here either.” He grasps the front of Gaku’s shirt, his breathing turning into harsh pants. “I’m s-scared...what’s happening to me?”

“Nanase…” There are hands on his back. “I can call Tenn here if you want -,”

Riku shakes his head vehemently. “Tenn-nii has a show tonight, doesn’t he? I don’t want to bother him.”

“But -,”

“If you don’t mind,” a new but familiar voice cuts in, “I can take Riku in for a few hours until you’re ready to pick him up from my place.”

Holding a half-empty martini glass in one hand as he leans against the countertop is none other than Ryo.

“R-Ryo-san?” Riku looks at him in surprise. “When did you -,” Something clicks in his head. He glances at the table at the back and finds it empty. The only customer in the bar is none other than Ryo and Riku went about his work not even noticing this.

“I was the one who tended to him,” Gaku says, “You didn’t notice. That’s how I knew you were distracted.” He looks at Ryo. “I don’t want to trouble you, Tsukumo-san.”

“Nonsense. Taking in Riku for a few hours is hardly any trouble. It’s better than leaving him here all alone at home.” Ryo turns to Riku. “That is, if Riku wants to.”

Gaku turns to Riku. “Nanase, if you want to, you can…”

“I do,” Riku says shakily, “I…I’m sorry, Gaku-san.” Tears of frustration finally spill from his eyes, rolling down his cheeks. “I...My head's a mess and I don’t know what to do. I…”

“It’s okay, Nanase,” Gaku says softly, “I understand.” He looks at Ryo again. “Take care of him for me for the time being. I’ll pick him up after I close up the bar.”

Ryo raises his martini glass in the air, nodding.

“I will, Yaotome-kun.”

“Make yourself at home, Riku,” Ryo says a while later, “I did clean up a little today so you’re in luck.”

Riku tries to smile at Ryo’s attempt to crack a joke. It comes out weird and obviously forced, but if Ryo notices it, he doesn’t say anything. Stepping inside Ryo’s apartment, he could see that the layout of Ryo’s place is similar to his own apartment with Tenn and Gaku, except that it is a studio, with the living space separated from Ryo’s sleeping area with only a folded partition.

“I used to be away from home a lot up til last year, so I didn’t see the point of owning a proper place,” Ryo explains, “When I decided to settle down here a little bit more permanently, I thought I should get my own comfy little nest. Not what you would expect from a CEO of an entertainment company, eh?” he teases.

“No,” Riku admits, “But this place...somehow suits you, Ryo-san.” He smiles properly this time. “It’s very Ryo-san-like.”

“I don’t know what that means, but I’ll take it as a compliment,” Ryo says with a laugh, “Go make yourself comfortable. I would offer you something to drink but you don’t really consume human food so -,”

“Ryo-san.”

“Hm?”

Riku looks straight into Ryo’s eyes, not allowing himself to hesitate. “Kiss me.”

Ryo blinks owlishly, looking as though he didn’t quite believe what he just heard. Riku doesn’t really blame him.

“Pardon?”

“Kiss me, Ryo-san,” Riku says again, “If I allow myself to relax, I’ll just fall asleep and have those nightmares again. I want to forget what I saw. What I keep on seeing if my mind drifts. Just for tonight, even if it’s just for a few hours until Gaku-san picks me up, I want to forget.” His gaze is unwavering. “So kiss me, Ryo-san. Help me forget.”

Ryo looks at loss for words. “Riku…” he tries, “I don’t want you to force yourself. I know we had a thing in the past, but you don’t need to force yourself back into it. I didn’t take you here for that-”

“I like you, Ryo-san,” Riku says, and Ryo shuts up then. When the weight of his words settle into his mind, Riku feels his cheeks heating up, but he forces himself to barrel through. “I like you a lot. I trust you and you make me feel safe. If there is anyone I want to do this with, it’s you.”

He takes a few steps forward until his hands could grasp the front of Ryo’s shirt. “So, Ryo-san...won’t you kiss me?”

“Riku.” Riku’s name comes out strangled from Ryo’s lips. “Are you sure? I don’t know if I…” He swallows, his eyes already dropping to Riku’s lips. “I don’t know if I can hold back.”

“I’m sure,” Riku whispers, leaning forward, “I trust you.”

Ryo’s lips are as warm and soft as Riku remembers when Ryo leans down to capture his lips with his own. Ryo leaves no room for any chaste kisses - he already has his arms wrapped around Riku’s waist as he gives his all into the kiss, leaning forward to deepen it. Riku’s fingers grab hold of Ryo’s shirt to balance himself, parting his lips when he feels Ryo’s tongue swiping the bottom lip to coax Riku into parting them,

The kiss is electrifying. The wet and warm sensation in his mouth is enough to make Riku dizzy and his knees weak. He nearly stumbles when Ryo starts moving both of them backwards without breaking off the kiss. When they fall onto Ryo’s bed, Riku’s arms wrap themselves around Ryo’s neck. He breaks off the kiss to catch his breath, a soft sound spilling from his mouth when Ryo’s lips move to mouth along his throat.

“Is this okay, Riku?”

“Uh-huh,” Riku says with a nod, “K-keep going.” His hands move from Ryo’s neck to tug at the hems of his button-up shirt. “Ryo-san, I…”

Ryo’s chest rumbles with a low laughter. “Would you like me to take this off?”

Riku flushes. “If Ryo-san doesn’t mind…”

“Why would I mind? It’s Riku, after all.” Ryo sits on the mattress with his knees at Riku’s sides. His fingers deftly unbuttons his shirt, letting the white material fall away. “Better?”

Riku swallows. His eyes travel downwards, drinking in the sight of Ryo’s bare chest. He takes in the curve of his collarbones, the dip in between in his chest, and the definition of his abs. He trails his fingers on Ryo’s skin, marvelling at the sight. “Ryo-san, you… work out?”

Ryo laughs. “I try to.” He shivers when Riku’s fingers continue to trail against his chest. He leans down and hooks an arm around Riku’s shoulders, grinning when Riku squeaks in surprise as Ryo lifts him into a sitting position before coaxing him to straddle his lap with his legs wrapped around his waist. “If you want to touch me, let me make it easier for you.”

Riku blushes heavily. “Y-you didn’t need to do that.” But his hands don’t leave Ryo’s skin, even when they resumed kissing, their tongues wet and warm against the other. At some point, Ryo grabs the hem of Riku’s shirt. Riku understands immediately, pausing the kiss long enough to lift his arms up and allow Ryo to take off his shirt. Now, pressed up against Ryo like this, they are skin-to-skin, and the feeling is almost enough to drive Riku insane.

“R-Ryo-san.” He gasps when Ryo kisses along his throat and collarbones. “T-That tickles.”

“Just tickling?” Riku could feel a smile on Ryo’s lips. “Nothing else?” His fingers brush against Riku’s nipples and Riku lets out another surprised squeak.

“T-That feels -!”

“Feels what, Riku?”

“Feels good, Ryo-san!” Riku gasps, “D-do it again, please, I -,”

“You’re really cute, Riku,” says Ryo, “Very, very cute.”

Riku makes all sorts of sounds as Ryo continues to kiss down his body, from his collarbones to his chest to the soft curves of his stomach. He makes sounds he doesn’t even know he could make. When Ryo pushes Riku down onto the mattress again, Riku is already breathless from Ryo’s ministrations, his fingers digging into the sheets. 

With a quick look at Riku for his reaction, Ryo unbuttons Riku’s pants before taking them off completely. He parts Riku’s legs, letting them rest against his shoulders as he puts his head in between them. Riku’s cheeks are burning by now but he doesn’t protest - only gripping the mattress tighter as he writhes under Ryo’s touches. His mind is swimming but in a good way - for the first time, he doesn’t think of the memory flashes. He doesn’t think of the nightmares. He doesn’t think about Sato Yukio.

Ryo is the only one who occupies his mind now. 

“R-Ryo-san--!” His body arches off the mattress when Ryo’s lips press against his inner thighs, dangerously close to his groin. “I-If you do that…Hngh!” he cries out when he feels Ryo palming against the front of his underwear. He had gotten hard from Ryo’s ministrations and feeling Ryo’s hand against his erection is both embarrassing and maddening. 

“Do you want me to take care of this?” Ryo asks, smiling a little, “You’re so hard already, Riku. Did I make you feel that good?”

“Y-You say that as if you’re not the same,” Riku protests, his eyes drifting downwards. When Ryo rocks back into a kneeling position again, Riku could see the noticeable bump in front of the man’s dress pants. He presses a socked foot against it, smiling breathlessly when Ryo lets out a hiss. “S-see?”

“That’s because I’m with someone I really like,” Ryo answers, moving forwards to cage Riku under his body weight again. “It’s hard to keep my cool around you.”

Riku flushes deeply. His hands caress Ryo’s cheeks as he looks at him tenderly. “I-It’s the same for me, Ryo-san.” He takes a deep breath. “I love you so much.”

Ryo’s eyes widen, the gravity of Riku’s words sinking into his skin.

“Riku,” he groans before he captures the boy’s lips again. 

This time, the kiss is much more passionate, and Riku makes the most wonderful sounds as Ryo licks and tastes his mouth to the fullest. He gasps into the kiss when Ryo’s hand slips into Riku’s underwear to wrap around his cock.

“R-Ryo-san-!”

“You don’t want to?”

“I...I do.” Riku covers his eyes with the back of his hand, his cheeks scarlet red. “If it’s Ryo-san, I-,”

“Riku,” Ryo says in a strained voice, “You really are much too cute.”

Riku, Ryo later learns, is rather sensitive. When he starts stroking Riku, the boy reacts to every single one of his touches, gasping and whimpering when Ryo’s thumb brushes against the slit or his fingers tease the shape of Riku’s balls. Riku is already leaking from the tip and each time he whimpers out Ryo’s name as he endures the sensations running through him, Ryo feels a little bit more off-balanced and fights to hold onto his self-control.

When he strokes him a little harder, Riku practically arches off the bed again, his hips flying upwards into Ryo’s touch.

“H-ah!” Riku cries out, “R-Ryo-san, I’m c-close! I won’t last if you k-keep doing -”

“It’s okay, Riku,” Ryo murmurs before kissing Riku’s sweaty forehead, “You can come if you want.”

“Mm--! I’m --!!”

Riku comes with a loud cry, his come splattering all over Ryo’s palm. His eyes roll to the back of his head slightly and his cries die off into breathless gasps. When the high of his orgasm fades away a little, Riku finally looks at Ryo, who stares at him back with a slight smirk on his face.

“You came so much,” Ryo teases, “How cute.” He shows his hand, his palm and fingers coated with white strings of Riku’s release. 

Feeling a little braver and filled with the sudden need to return the teasing, Riku gets into a sitting position before grabbing Ryo’s hand. Meeting Ryo’s eyes, he puts Ryo’s fingers into his mouth and licks the digit. He could taste his own come and feel the heat behind Ryo’s eyes as he looks at Riku.

It sends a thrill down his spine. 

“It’s because it’s Ryo-san,” Riku purrs, “You make me feel good.”

“Riku, you…” Ryo chuckles, a little breathless, “What will I do with you?”

It surprises Riku at how natural it feels when it comes to Ryo. With his lack of memories, he shouldn’t have known what to do when it comes to sex. Sure, back in middle school, Riku had admittedly gotten curious, but he definitely didn’t have any hands-on experience.

At least, he didn’t  _ think  _ he did. But back when they first met, Ryo had definitely alluded that in the past, while they were not lovers in a more meaningful sense, Riku had definitely done things with Ryo that constituted more than just a friendly relationship. The idea embarrassed him before, considering he doesn’t remember their past relationship and the Ryo several months ago had been mostly unfamiliar to him. 

But now, doing this with Ryo, even though his mind might not remember, his body apparently does. They fit naturally like this and Riku responds to Ryo’s touches as if his body is used to them. It scares him a little, but mostly….he just feels happy. 

“I love you,” Riku says, “I really love you, Ryo-san. So…” He leans in to whisper into Ryo’s ears. “For these few hours...make me yours.”

Ryo responds with a strangled murmur of his name before they kiss again. Ryo adjusts their position so that Riku straddles his lap again. Their lips do not part as Ryo’s hands trail down Riku’s back until they slip under Riku’s underwear again. When Ryo’s fingers tease along the curve of Riku’s ass before they trace the tight circle of muscles of Riku’s entrance, Riku tenses out of reflex.

“I won’t do what you don’t want,” Ryo assures, “I can stop if you want.”

Riku buries his face at the crook of Ryo’s neck. “No...you can go on.” He exhales in a shudder. “I want it.”

Ryo moves his head to kiss the side of Riku’s temple. “Okay.”

Ryo takes his time with Riku. He listens to every sound Riku makes to gauge his reaction and starts off slow. By the time he adds a second finger inside of him, Riku is a shuddering mess against him, whimpering out his name every now and then. 

“R-Ryo-san, I -,”

_ “Ri~ku~-kun!” _

Riku stills. 

_ “Riku-kun is having fun without me? I’m hurt. Did you forget our time together in the lab?” _

No. No, no, no this can’t be happening. Riku opens his eyes and a strangled cry escapes his throat when he sees Sato Yukio looking back at him. His eyes are filled with manic glee, matching the wide grin on his face.

_ “Riku-kun, let’s have a little fun together.” _

“No,” Riku gasps, “N-no…”

“Riku?” Ryo pauses his ministrations to look at Riku, “Riku, what’s wrong?”

“Ryo-san, I -,”

Riku lets out a horrified gasp when he sees the state Ryo is in. Blood trails from his forehead, down his face before it drips onto the collar of his shirt. The blood is pouring out so much that it stains the front of his chest.

Which now has a hole driven through it, right where his heart used to be.

_ “I don’t like sharing, Riku-kun,” _ Yukio purrs, suddenly appearing behind Riku. He sandwiches Riku in between himself and Ryo, covering Riku’s eyes with his bloodstained hands. Blood...that smells strongly like Ryo’s.  _ “I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you to myself.” _

“No!” Riku screams, scrambling off Ryo’s lap. His head hits painfully against the headboard when he ends up backing too far. “No, leave me alone! Stop!”

“Riku?!” There is a clear alarm in Ryo’s voice. “Riku, what’s wrong? Tell me. H-hey, are you okay?”

“Ryo-san,” Riku sobs, “You...I…”

He blinks in surprise when he takes a good look at Ryo again. The man is no longer bleeding, and his chest is still intact. Yukio is gone, along with the strong smell of blood.

Riku had hallucinated again.

He is definitely losing his mind.

“I c-can’t stay here,” Riku stammers, “I need to leave.”

“Wait, Riku -,”

“You don’t need to send me back,” Riku says hurriedly, climbing off the bed before shrugging on his clothes back. “I-I...I need to be alone.”

“Riku -,”

Without giving a chance to Ryo to answer, Riku runs for the door, throwing it open before slamming it close behind him. He still hears the cry of his name as he runs for the elevator. He sees Ryo running out of his apartment unit, still in a state of disarray.

“Riku, wait!”

The elevator door closes just as Ryo reaches out to him, desperation clear as day on the man’s face.

By the time he had stopped running, Riku finds himself at the same place where he usually ends up at.

Zero Arena stands magnificently a distance away, surrounded by crystal blue waters. The river surface is illuminated by the moonlight and Riku could see his own reflection on the surface when he looks down. The metal of the safety fence feels cold to the touch, but Riku grips it firmly, using the cold sensation to ground him back to reality.

He sighs heavily.

He should really call Gaku. Maybe Ryo might have done that already. His grip on the metal rail tightens as he thinks about Ryo. He should apologize to him later, when his head is a little clearer.

The memory from a moment ago - the sight of Gaku and Ryo covered in blood with Yukio mocking him - is making his head spin. He leans heavily against the fence to keep himself steady. He groans, trying to concentrate on anything  _ other  _ than the pounding in his head. He subconsciously reaches up to grasp the front of his shirt, searching for the one object that never fails to comfort him at times like these.

Only to realize that he’s not wearing it today. Ah...that’s right. He was so distracted the entire day and dazed from his lack of proper sleep that he had forgotten to wear the blood-crystal pendant. Realizing it now fills Riku with a sense of unease. He should hurry home and -

“Riku?”

Riku looks up. “Tenn-nii,” he says in surprise.

Tenn stands in front of him with his bag slung over his shoulder. His hat and mask covers most of his face, and Tenn pulls the latter down as he approaches his little brother.

“Is your show done?” Riku asks.

“Just half an hour ago. What are you doing here, Riku? I received a text from Gaku saying that you’re staying with Tsukumo-san until Gaku’s done with work.”

Riku hesitates to tell him. “I…” He shifts awkwardly. “Things happened and…”

Tenn furrows his brows. “What sort of -,”

He stills just as Riku senses a new presence. Or rather, it’s a presence he had felt before. Several days ago, right at this spot. He’s a fool. Why is he here when this was where -

“Riku-kun,” a voice purrs, “Long time no see.”

Riku turns around, his heart dropping to his stomach when he sees Yukio behind him. His hand is already morphed into blades, his eyes glowing bright red. His rows of sharp teeth can be seen when he smiles.

“I was hoping to catch you alone,” Yukio says, “But considering that both of you are unarmed...this is good enough.”

“You’re not real,” Riku gasps, taking a step backward, “You’re just a hallucination!”

Tenn frowns. “Riku, what are you talking about -,”

“I’m not a hallucination, Riku-kun,” Yukio replies, clearly taking delight in the fear that is written all over Riku’s face, “Your pretty brother can see me just as you can, can’t he?”

He’s right. From the way that Tenn is stepping protectively in front of him, his fangs bared and his eyes glowing red with hostility, that Yukio is no longer just a part of Riku’s imagination. He’s real. He’s here. 

He yelps when Tenn suddenly grabs his hand and pulls him into a run.

“T-Tenn-nii?!”

“We have no choice but to run!” Tenn yells, glancing at him from over his shoulders. “Dammit! Of all the times -!”

“You know, as much as I love the game of tag, this is getting pretty old,” Yukio drawls out. He rocks back on his heels before he launches himself into a sprint. “Stay still, why don’t you, Riku-kun?” he asks gleefully.

He is quickly gaining speed and catching up with the twins. Desperate, Tenn pulls Riku forward before pushing him. Stumbling on his feet, Riku looks back at Tenn with a bewildered expression.

“Tenn-nii, what are you doing?!”

“Run ahead!” Tenn shouts, “Go! I’ll hold him off - gah!”

Yukio knocks him from behind, causing Tenn to crash onto the ground. 

“Tenn-nii!” Riku screams.

“Go!” Tenn chokes out, pushing himself to his knees, “Don’t stop, just go!”

“I -,”

“That’s really sweet of you, Tenn-kun,” Yukio coos, grabbing a fistful of Tenn’s hair and roughly pulls his head back. He grins when Tenn groans in pain before the latter’s eyes slide to glare at Yukio. “If you offer yourself to me like this, who am I to refuse? It’s a change of plan, but one I’m willing to make.” His grin widens. “Who knows? This might make it more interesting.”

“Go to hell,” Tenn spits out.

“Only if I can take you along,” Yukio sings.

“Tenn-nii!” Riku screams again and is about to run back towards him but he is too late. Yukio’s other hand holds a syringe filled with green liquid. The sight of it brings back more flashes of memory into Riku’s head, shocking him enough to root him to the ground, clutching his head as he whimpers in pain.

Someone used that syringe on him before. The pain of him being stabbed by it over and over again that all he could do was to silently cry out for mercy only for his attackers to ignore his pleas and -

“Goodnight, Tenn-kun,” Yukio whispers before stabbing the needle into Tenn’s throat.

Tenn gasps in pain, his pupils shrinking before his eyelids droop close. His body crumples into Yukio’s waiting arms, the latter then hooking his arm under Tenn’s legs and lift him into a bridal carry.

Riku’s head is clear enough to notice what is happening. Forcing himself to his feet, he runs towards Yukio, reaching out for his unconscious brother.

“Give him back!” he screams, “Give Tenn-nii back - argh!” 

A burning hot pain lances right through him. Shakily, he glances down. Balancing Tenn’s head against his chest, Yukio uses his other hand to morph into a blade again before stabbing Riku right in the middle of his chest. 

“You’ll see him soon enough,” Yukio says with a smile, “Be patient, Riku-kun.”

He pulls his hand out and Riku falls to the ground. He manages to grab hold of one of Tenn’s hands, holding onto him for as long as he can.

“G-give...him...back…” The last of his strength leaves him, causing Tenn’s hand to slip out of his grasp. Numbed by the pain, Riku could only lay uselessly on the ground as he bleeds out. His vision is already blurring as he watches Yukio run off with Tenn in his arms, before disappearing somewhere. He could feel something hard and cold in his hand. Weakly unfurling his fingers, he sees a shiny object on his palm.

A pink diamond, glimmering in the moonlight.

Tenn’s ring.

“T-Tenn...nii…”

Before he blacks out completely, he hears a cry of his name. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohoho the plot is starting now.
> 
> Kudos/comments/bookmarks are appreciated and you can find me on Twitter at @tennssi0907 !


	6. five

**Chapter five**

When he wakes up, Riku feels as though he had forcefully broken through the ocean’s surface.

He wakes up with a loud gasp, as though water had filled his lungs and he is struggling to cough them out. Like the air had been punched out of his gut and he’s standing on cracked ice trying to regain his bearings. He wakes up clawing at the air - looking for something he doesn’t even know.

His hands are met with another pair of hands and he is pulled into a tight embrace. He doesn’t smell his brother. No, the smell that surrounds him and the soothing voice that floats into his ear in the form of murmured reassurances belong to his chevalier. 

Riku belatedly realizes that he had woken up screaming. Again.

His throat is also _burning_ \- there is clawing pain that melts his bones and tears apart his muscles and flesh and it is driving him _insane._ With a loud growl, he presses his body weight against Gaku, using a strength he doesn’t know he possesses to pin the chevalier down onto the mattress. Gaku is by far heavier than him, but Riku manhandles him as if he weighs nothing at all. He traps the man underneath him, pining his hands above his hands as he growls at him.

He sees blue. His eyes are burning bright. His screams had morphed into an animalistic growl that would have unsettled him if it weren’t for the pain that lances through him like a thousand knives.

He is so _thirsty._

Gaku is looking at him with a tender expression. If his hands were free, Riku doesn’t doubt that he would have reached out to touch his face. Stroke his cheek and soothe him. Like the way his brother would.

“Are you hungry?” Gaku asks softly, “You did lose a lot of blood. You can feed from me. It’s okay.”

Although the pain fogs Riku’s mind enough that he barely registers the words being said to him, he could feel it in his heart the gentleness of them and it makes his heart twist - adding more to the pain he is already feeling. Feeling as though the emotions will crash down upon him and drown him, Riku tears himself away from his conscious thoughts and allows his instincts to take over.

It hurts less this way. It hurts less not having to think about how much it must hurt Gaku when Riku forcefully pushes his head to the side and sinks his teeth deeply into his throat.

The blood is a burst of flavor on his tongue. Riku must be thirstier than he gives himself credit for because as soon as the blood hits his tongue, it’s as though all semblance of control had left him. He sinks his teeth deeper into the flesh to tear it apart more so the burst of flavor keeps flowing into him, filling him up to the core.

By the time his teeth leave Gaku’s throat, the burning blue in his eyes has slowly faded away and he stumbles back before collapsing back onto the mattress, catching his breath. He rolls to the side and meets Gaku’s gaze. The man looks pale from the blood loss, but his lips still curve into a soft smile when he reaches out to stroke Riku’s hair.

“Feeling better?”

“Mm,” Riku nods, “I’m sorry...it must have hurt a lot.”

Gaku shakes his head. “It’ll heal as it always has.”

Despite the kindness in his tone, Riku knows. He doesn’t tell him but when he feeds on Gaku’s blood, he could feel the flow of his emotions. It’s vague - like grasping at straws - and it’s one of the many powers of a King that Riku isn’t sure how to use, but he could feel how...unsettled Gaku is. Something is bothering him and it doesn’t take much to guess what it is.

“Tenn-nii…” he whispers. The name brings the reality back down onto them and Riku forces himself to sit up. Gaku follows soon after. “He was taken and -,”

“I know,” Gaku says, his lips now pulled into a thin line, “Nikaido told me as much. He was the one who found you.”

“How long have I been asleep?”

“About a couple of days,” Gaku replies, “In the meantime, we were on the lookout for Tenn...but…” He makes a displeased expression. “This Sato Yukio guy is slippery. Just when we thought we had him, he slipped right out of our grasp again. I sent Nikaido to trail you after you left with Tsukumo-san,” he says at Riku’s confusion, “But it seems that Sato knew about it and purposely led Nikaido astray before coming after you.”

He reaches inside his shirt pocket and takes out something that shines in the light.

“I found this in your hand,” he murmurs, “Even unconscious, you held onto it tight.”

It is Tenn’s ring.

The sight of it makes Riku’s eyes tear up again. Fighting against the tears, Riku ducks his head. “If his target was me, why did he take Tenn-ni…?” He frowns deeply, chewing his bottom lip. “I don’t understand -” A wave of dizziness crashes onto him again. He groans, holding his head as he leans tiredly against Gaku for support.

“H-hey,” Gaku says in alarm as he braces Riku, “Are you okay? Do you need to feed again?”

“My head hurts,” Riku mutters, wincing when pain lances through him again, “I c-can’t think straight right now. I think…” He leans further against Gaku. “I need to...sleep again…”

“Of course,” Gaku says, “Get all the rest you need. We can talk about it when you wake up.”

He helps Riku lie back down onto the pillows before tucking him under his blanket. It’s reminiscent of how Tenn typically does it and the memory of his missing brother makes his heart pound louder and uncomfortably. He reaches blindly until his hand grasps the material of Gaku’s sleeve. 

“What is it, Nanase?” Gaku asks, turning to look at him.

Though his eyes are already drooping close, Riku tries very hard to look at his chevalier in the eyes. “I’m sorry...for being so weak,” he murmurs drowsily. Both the pain and the fatigue are pressing against his bones, pulling him back into the waters of unconsciousness again. He tries to hold on a little longer onto Gaku’s sleeve.

Riku is afraid that he will drown if he doesn’t.

“Don’t apologize, Nanase,” Gaku says, “It’s not your fault.” He kneels on the floor, his hand carding through the boy’s red locks. Riku’s eyes are fully shut now, his breathing slowing down. “We’ll get Tenn back. I promise.”

_Don’t make promises_ , Riku wants to say if he wasn’t already pulled down under, _Because if you do…_

_I don’t know what I’ll do if you can’t keep it._

When he is sure Riku is fast asleep, Gaku quietly slips out from the room. He pads into the living room where Yamato and Nagi are waiting on the sofa, their heads lifting when they hear him enter.

“Any news?” Gaku asks.

“Nope,” Yamato replies, “All trails led to a dead end. He really covered his tracks well.”

“We even looked at the lab again and it looks like it’s definitely been abandoned,” Nagi adds.

“Any chance he left the country?” Gaku questions, “You’re still in contact with some of Kujou’s old connections, right?”

“Still in contact is a strong phrase…” Yamato grimaces, “We had to use tactics to get them to talk, if that’s what you mean. In any case, we checked all the major ports leaving from Japan and there are no abnormal records. If he did leave the country, he was definitely really careful about it.”

“We’ll keep looking,” Nagi cuts in, “The Schiffs are working hard too.”

Gaku sighs. “Thank you. I guess that’s all I could ask for now.”

“How’s Riku?” Yamato asks, “He’s doing alright? I could smell blood earlier.”

Gaku’s hand drifts to his neck - now healed - instinctively. “He fed more than usual due to his blood loss. He seems disoriented still, so I’ll just let him rest. These days...he hadn’t been sleeping well and had been acting strange.”

Nagi narrows his eyes. “Strange? How?”

Gaku shakes his head. “It’s hard to explain. But now that Tenn’s taken...I can’t imagine the stress he’s being put under.”

“And you?”

Gaku turns to Yamato who had asked the question to him. “What?”

“You seem calm about this,” Yamato notes, “Well, calmer than what I would expect anyway.”

There is a slightly drawn out pause before Gaku speaks again, his voice lower than before. 

“I’m not calm,” Gaku says, “Believe me when I say this but...I am anything _but_ calm.” He has Tenn’s ring in his palm, to which he grips tightly.

“The moment I see Sato,” he vows, “He’ll come to regret messing with our lives.”

Momo and Yuki called him a day later, as Gaku expected.

_“He didn’t answer his texts,”_ Momo says from the other line, _“Momo-chan’s worried.”_

“He’s feeling ill right now,” Gaku lies, “He’s sleeping most of the time.”

_“Tenn is sick?! Is he at the hospital? Let me visit him!”_

“No, no. He’s at home. He doesn’t want to see anyone until the bug wears off. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I’ll still deliver the things you need on his behalf. I even updated his SNS for him so his fans won’t worry.”

There is a sound of the phone being passed around before a different voice comes on line. _“Hello, Yaotome-kun. I heard Tenn-kun is sick?”_

“Good morning, Yuki-san. Yeah, he caught a bug from a recent schedule and is pretty much stuck in bed. It’s probably from the stress too. He’s been busy recently, hasn’t he?” Gaku leans back against the wall as he looks at the ring in his hands. He had strung the ring with a small chain so the ring hangs down his throat like a necklace. “I was actually thinking about asking on his behalf for a time off. He doesn’t have any more shows lined up, does he?”

_“No...Well, I suppose I could take that into consideration. Though ultimately it’s not me who decides; it’s your dad. If Tenn-kun really needs the rest, I can try and pitch the idea to him.”_

Gaku sighs in relief. “Thank you, Yuki-san.”

_“...It’s quite alright. Momo and I still have things to give him, so would you mind if we meet somewhere for you to take them?”_

“Yes, that will be fine.” Gaku listens in some more, quickly finding something to scribble the memo down. By the time Riku walks into the living room, Gaku had already hung up the call, the memo with the address and time tucked away into his pocket. He glances up when he sees his King approaching, his lips lifting into a smile.

“Good morning, Nanase,” he greets, “Are you feeling better?”

Riku nods drowsily. He is still in his nightwear and his hair sticks out in various places. If it weren’t for the severity of the current situation, Gaku might have found the time to tease him about it. 

“I had a weird dream…” Riku mumbles, sitting next to Gaku before leaning on his shoulder.

“Is it another memory?”

Riku shakes his head. “I think it’s just a dream this time but...I saw Tenn-nii. He was…” Riku makes a soft troubled sound. “He was drowning somewhere...like a tank filled with water. He’s being forced down into it and no matter how much he begged, the person holding him down won’t relent.” He shudders, pressing himself closer towards Gaku. “It was a scary dream now that I remember it.”

Gaku strokes Riku’s hair comfortingly. “It’s just a dream. I promise.”

Riku doesn’t say anything to that. 

“Nikaido and Rokuya are working hard to find any clues. So are the Schiffs. We won’t have to face this alone, Nanase. We’ll get Tenn back.”

Riku nods, trying to find hope in those words.

“In the meantime,” Gaku adds, “I told Yuki-san and Momo-san that Tenn is ill and is requesting for a time off. I’m going to pick up some things and settle some loose ends. Do you want to come with me?”

Riku looks at Gaku again, his eyes wide with curiosity. “Yuki-san and Momo-san? You mean…”

Gaku smiles. “You’ve met them briefly before, though it’s been awhile since then. They work for Tenn now, but in the past, they used to be _your_ managers, Nanase.”

They end up meeting at one of the cafes nearby the neighbourhood. Sitting in front of the parfait ordered for him for appearance’s sake, Riku pokes the ice cream with his metal spoon before putting some into his mouth.

He cannot taste it, but he enjoys the feeling of something going down his throat. It brings a wave of nostalgia. In the past he cannot fully remember, he has a feeling that he had done this with someone. His hand unconsciously drifts to feel the shape of the pendant underneath his clothes.

Everything is changing so fast - at least this one thing on his chest stays the same.

Gaku sits in front of him with his eyes glued to his phone. He has a mug of coffee in front of him which he does not touch. 

“Any news?” Riku asks quietly around the spoon in his mouth. It feels off sitting here, eating a dessert he cannot even taste, while the state of his brother remains unknown.

“They’re looking into Sato more and are using old connections to seal off ports in the country so he cannot leave it. If he hasn’t already.” Gaku mutters out the last part, and Riku pretends not to hear it.

There is a sound of the wind chimes ringing and a chorus of waitresses greeting new customers before Riku registers the sound of chairs scraping.

“Sorry we’re late!” a voice sings, “Traffic was terrible. Momo-chan nearly wanted to road rage.”

“I bet you would look wonderful even then, Momo.”

“Kya~! Yuki, you’re always so cool!”

Gaku sighs heavily. “I’m glad you two are in good health as always, Momo-san. Yuki-san.”

Yuki chuckles. “I see that you’re well too, Yaotome-kun.”

“Riku!” Momo exclaims, turning to beam at Riku, “It’s been a long time since we last saw each other! How are you?”

“I-I’m fine,” Riku says carefully. This person is really loud.

“When Gaku told me you were tagging along, I knew I had to get you something.” He reaches inside his bag and pulls out a rabbit plush with a red ribbon tied around one of its ears. “Here! It’s been a few years so I’m not sure if your interests have changed, but Momo-chan remembers you like dolls!”

Riku takes the doll in his hands with an unsure expression on his face. “Thank you, Momo-san.” He takes a good look at the doll he’s holding. The rabbit stares back with its beady red eyes, its gaze unrelenting as if it is challenging Riku. Or perhaps even taunting him.

Looking at the doll now…

There is a strange urge to tear off its limbs.

Riku puts the doll behind him before he fulfills that urge, turning back to smile at Momo again. “I appreciate it.”

“Hehe, you’re welcome!”

“Yaotome-kun, here is the stuff I wanted to hand to you,” Yuki says, cutting into the conversation smoothly, “There are song lyrics in there as well as some demos. Some contracts Tenn-kun can look in his spare time and decide if he wants to take on the project. They have a long deadline as far as I’m concerned, so he can take his time.”

“Thank you, Yuki-san,” Gaku says gratefully, “How did it go with my old man?”

“Well, he’s about as pleased as you can imagine when I brought up the subject,” Yuki says dryly, “But Tenn-kun’s sales have been doing really well and he shot all the episodes of his drama and the CM deals he had signed in the past. Theoretically, the company has enough promotional material to make Tenn-kun’s break seem less noticeable.”

“Darling managed to strike a good deal,” Momo grins, “Tenn has one month off. He deserves it.” He frowns a little. “Though I hope he’s okay. He really didn’t want to see anyone?”

The smile on Gaku’s face is tight. “Yeah...he didn’t want to go to the hospital, either, so I made him stay in bed at the very least. I’m sure the month’s break would be useful for him.”

He hopes in a month’s time, Tenn will be back at their sides.

“The fans reacted...as well as you can imagine,” Yuki notes with a sigh, “But I suppose it can’t be helped. I hope he feels better soon.” Then, he shifts his attention towards Riku. “What about you, Riku-kun? How are you feeling these days?”

Surprised at suddenly being addressed, Riku blinks owlishly, taking a few seconds to answer. “I-I’m fine! I didn’t catch the bug or whatever if that is what you mean.”

Yuki smiles. “Well, I did mean that partly. But I also meant your overall well-being. It’s been quite a while since we’ve seen each other.”

“The last time was when Tenn introduced you to us and you were so cute!” Momo gushes, “Hiding behind your brother like a little chick.”

“Momo’s a little chick.”

“No, Momo-chan is a peach!”

“I’ll go get us some more coffee and cakes,” Gaku says, rising from his seat, “The queue is pretty long so it might take a while, so I’ll leave you guys to catch up. Yuki-san, Momo-san, want anything?”

“I’ll have black coffee.”

“Strawberry smoothie for me! And get the caramel cake as well!” Momo takes out his wallet and hands Gaku his card. “Here. You can pay for it with this.”

“Eh? Ah, Momo-san, I was planning to treat you.”

“Kya, how chivalrous! But it’s alright! You can buy yourself something to drink too.”

“A-alright, then. I’ll be right back.”

Once Gaku is out of sight, Yuki and Momo return their attention onto Riku again. “Tenn-kun told us, you know,” Yuki says, “That you lost your memories.”

“A-ah…” That saves Riku from explaining himself. He drops his gaze to the table. “Did he…?”

“Mm. That’s why you don’t need to force yourself to be comfortable with us right away, Riku-kun. We understand.”

“I was really shocked, though,” Momo adds, “You seemed like an entirely different person the first time we met. But you also seemed…” Momo hums as he searches for the right word. “Happier. Content. And super cute when you clung to Tenn like that! You were super shy, too!”

Riku flushes. “Was I?” In truth, he barely remembers that meeting. He knew Tenn had once taken him to meet Momo and Yuki but that day had gone by in a blur. It was freshly after he woke up so everything was new and distracting to him - like a puppy brought out to the world for the first time. The other times he had seen Yuki and Momo were in passing when the two had picked Tenn up for work or dropped him off from it. 

“You two were...my managers, right?” he asks, “What was I like in the past?”

Yuki and Momo glance at each other.

“You were really mysterious!” Momo says.

“H-huh?”

“You liked to do your own things,” Yuki explains, “We had a feeling you didn’t really like going on shows and stuff, but you surprisingly went along with it. There were ups and downs, but we had fun working with you. You surround yourself with people who clearly cared about you, too.”

“Who?”

“Iori, for one!” Momo replies, “He did most of the organizing.”

Iori...the person whose blood now hangs around Riku’s throat.

“There was also Sougo-kun,” Yuki muses, “He wrote a lot of your songs.”

“We haven’t seen neither of them since you returned to Japan, though,” Momo says, “I wonder what happened to them.”

So they don’t know. The memories of Iori and Sougo are still fuzzy at best, but Tenn told Riku from the get-go that with the exception of Gaku, all his other chevaliers are dead. While he didn’t tell Riku anything beyond that because he didn’t want Riku to be overwhelmed, Riku had lived with the past several months knowing that sometime before, he had more people by his side.

“They...had things to do,” Riku answers, “I don’t remember much about them either,” he admits later, “I only know what Tenn-nii told me.”

“I see,” Yuki says, “It can’t be helped, with your circumstances and all.”

“Riku, have you ever thought about singing again?” Momo asks.

“Me? Sing?”

“Mmph! I’m sure you have fans waiting for you still. Even though Tenn officially announced that there will be no promise that you’ll return to the entertainment industry, Momo-chan and Darling are ready to support you if you ever change your mind.”

Riku falters. The idea of him singing again…

The memory of the fan from the other day flashes through his mind and Riku’s lips pull into a troubled frown again before he could help himself.

“I’m sorry…” he murmurs, lacing his fingers together on the table, “I...I’m figuring out a lot of things right now, so perhaps not.”

Momo waves his hands in front of him. “You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to! I’m sorry if I sounded like I was pressuring you…”

“It’s okay to take your time, Riku-kun,” Yuki says, “Momo and I just wanted you to know that we’ll be one of the people who will be with you if you ever need us.”

All these people….who care about him even though he doesn’t remember them. Riku could feel the beginning of tears forming in his eyes. He looks down so Yuki and Momo cannot see him crying.

“Thank you,” he whispers, “I appreciate it.”

Mitsuki’s shared home with Yamato and Nagi is big enough to fit exactly three people without feeling cramped. With the two of them gone off to do their own things, Haruka and Minami take temporary refuge while they figure out a game plan.

“We’ve marked out all possible places he could be hiding,” Minami says, pointing to all the crosses on the map rolled in front of them on the floor, “These are all the residences of the former scientists who had brought back their resources with them. Not only are they all dead, the things they had were gone too.”

Mitsuki clicks his tongue in annoyance. “If it really is Sato doing all of this, he must have planned this at least months in advance. Any other possible leads?”

“His old residence was where we went first,” Haruka chimes in, “Records say that while he was never announced dead, he definitely hadn’t been home for years. That place is falling apart and when we picked through the rubble, there was nothing there. It didn’t seem like he was one of those who brought his study home with him.”

“It’s strange, though,” Mitsuki muses, “I don’t know if you guys noticed but the rotation of the scientists who worked on the Schiff project rarely ever changed because of how high the confidentiality was. Sato Yukio was definitely one of the faces I’ve seen during the earlier years I spent at the lab but after a while I stopped seeing him. If he wasn’t dead…”

“Maybe he was sick or injured?” Minami deduces, “If that’s the case, we can narrow down our search to hospital records. I’m not sure how that might help us locate him, but it’s worth a try.”

“But how was he injured -,” Haruka’s eyes widen, “Mitsuki-san, when was the last time you saw Sato?”

“Eh? Mmm. It was -,” Mitsuki pauses. “It was right before Iori escaped.”

“Your brother escaped with someone, didn’t he?” Haruka presses, “Wasn’t it -,”

“Riku,” Mitsuki finishes in a daze, “Riku slaughtered a lot of scientists during his escape. I still remember the very strong smell of blood that surrounded the place that night.” He shudders. “Very few of the scientists who were killed were replaced too. If...You’re implying that -,”

“Sato Yukio might have one of the scientists Nanase-san thought he killed back then,” Minami guesses, “Only he somehow survived. It all adds up, if you think about it. If he’s targeting Nanase-san, this would be the perfect cause of revenge.”

Mitsuki furrows his brows. “But why would he take Kujou Tenn, instead?”

The three of them descend into silence.

“Though I’ve never personally met the guy,” Haruka murmurs, first to break the silence, “I’ve definitely heard rumors about him from the other Schiffs.”

“Rumors?” Minami questions.

“They said that he was one of the more zealous ones who worked on the project, but recently developed a special fascination with a King they captured. The King we were told our powers derived from.”

“Riku,” Mitsuki mutters.

“I don’t know the details,” Haruka continues, “But one of the rumors I heard was that he took extra delight in torturing Queens too, if they disobeyed or displeased him somehow. Or even if he’s bored. The Queens were more easily replaceable, so if one or two of them were killed in the process of the experimentation, people would be less bothered. But…” He wraps his arms around himself before shuddering.

“That man,” he whispers, “I heard he is capable of making Queens lose their minds.”

The room’s walls and floor match - a pure white color, ready to be painted with a rainbow of colors. There are so many possibilities to choose from - from the elegant navy blue, to the soft pastels of pink to match the boy’s soft hair. 

But Yukio already knows what color he wants to dye this room in.

He wants it to match the brilliant red in the King’s eyes, who is staring him with burning hatred. Tenn is currently chained to the wall with his arms raised as he kneels on the floor. Yukio could hear the loud thumping of his heart and the haggardness of his breathing. He hasn’t fed in days, after all. He’s _starving_ at this point.

But still, the intensity of Tenn’s hatred doesn’t falter, with the boy even baring his teeth at him as Yukio steps closer towards him. 

The boy really is beautiful. The hatred just enhances that beauty. It’s not quite the same as the vulnerable fear Riku once gave him in the past, but for now, Yukio can be satisfied with this.

He smiles when Tenn pulls back his upper lip into a snarl when Yukio touches his cheek. He tries to turn away but Yukio roughly grabs his face and holds it in place with his hand, grinning in the face of Tenn’s pure hatred towards him.. 

“Let’s enjoy our time together, darling,” he crooned, “I’ll mold you until you fit my ideals, pretty King.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> rip tenn ammirite?
> 
> kudos/comments/bookmarks are appreciated and you can find me on twitter at @tennssi0907 !


	7. six

**Chapter six**

  
  


The dreams only continue to worsen.

Riku has lost count of the number of times he has woken up screaming to the point that his throat becomes raw and painful from all the exertion. He lost count of the times he woke up clawing at his sheets and looking blindly for seemingly nothing at all. He lost count of the time Gaku held him close, soothing and patient, as Riku cried against his chest as the memories continued to haunt him.

It has gotten to the point that Riku has now moved into Gaku and Tenn’s shared room, only falling asleep if Gaku is by his side. He grows increasingly fearful of sleeping and would hold on for as long as he could until his body collapses on him.

The dreams continue.

He dreams of the torture again - of metal rods being driven up his skin or gleaming knives slicing him apart before he heals, not taking the pain away with it. He dreams of Sato Yukio who would smile chillingly at him as he chokes Riku with his bare hands, laughing when Riku begs for his life. He dreams of Tenn replacing him - forced to watch his brother being strapped to the table, taken beating after beating just to see how fast he heals.

He dreams of drowning and Tenn’s hand is too far away for him to reach.

One particularly bad dream has Riku waking up so frazzled that he could barely muster the energy to scream. He sees himself, blue-eyed and bloodied, as he drives a sword up Tenn’s chest before laughing with cruel delight. He sees himself throwing himself into Gaku’s embrace, bringing him down to kiss him forcefully on the lips while his brother watches in despair. His other two chevaliers with their blurry faces because Riku could not remember them stand by his side, showing various ways of reverence.

A kiss on the throat. A kiss on the lips. Hands caressing Riku’s face lovingly. 

“Tenn-nii,” he hears himself say, “Let me take everything away from you.”

Gaku is holding him by the time he comes to. There are hands carding through his hair and someone humming him a song. Gaku even has Riku’s face nestled against his throat in case he wants to feed again. Riku slumps tiredly against him, tears still leaking from his eyes. He hates feeling useless like this. 

“I’m tired, Gaku-san,” Riku whispers brokenly, “I just want to sleep without nightmares. If remembering the past means I’ll be haunted every night like this then I…” His chest tightens as a sob rises out his throat. “I don’t want to remember anything anymore.”

“Nanase…” Gaku holds him closer. “Is there anything I can do to help you feel better?”

There is a way. Well, two ways. A monarch chiropteran can be comforted by their chevalier by either one of these two ways. And the idea of one of them is enough to make Riku sick to the stomach. He remembers a distant memory of one of the many lessons the old scientist used to give the twins when they were growing up.

Of the restlessness that monarch chiropterans gain as a side effect of their growing powers and the various ways they can do to relieve it. A chevalier can play a role in two ways.

Through sex or through feeding.

Riku’s firm rejection of the first one option is the only reason why he had began feeding from Gaku continuously to negate the restlessness that came not from his powers - which seemed to have dulled ever since he woke up from his year long slumber -, but his volatile emotions following the eventual return of his memories and the fact that Tenn is still not yet found. 

Riku clenches his jaw and ends up pushing Gaku away, taking his chevalier by surprise.

“No need,” he says curtly, lying back down on his side with his back towards Gaku, “I...I’m not hungry. Feeding from you won’t comfort me now.”

It’s a lie but Riku hates the fact that he has to depend on Gaku so often now. For someone who supposedly belongs at the top of the chiropteran hierarchy, Riku feels as though he’s the weakest of them all.

As he drifts off to sleep again, only half aware of how Gaku nestles close to him on the bed regardless of Riku’s prior rejection, he can’t help but to envy the other him in his nightmares.

At the very least, he seems to know what he’s doing.

Haruka is talking to him about some mathematical equation but Riku is barely paying attention. The numbers seem to blur in front of his eyes and whatever Haruka is saying, his mind refuses to register the words.

Why did Gaku bring Haruka here again…? Right - to distract Riku.

“It’s no use,” Haruka concludes, snapping the book shut and effectively regaining Riku’s attention, “You look dead on your feet, Nanase. Have you slept much?”

Riku doesn’t even have the energy to argue. He simply shakes his head before slumping against the table tiredly. One hand close around the pendant at his neck, trying to find comfort from it as he usually does. It hasn’t been working these days, but Riku’s now too afraid to give up on it.

If the pendant around his neck can no longer ground him, what will?

“Minami and Mitsuki-san are trying their best,” Haruka says, trying his best to sound comforting, “Your chevalier too, isn’t he? We’ll find your brother. One way or another.”

“I just hate the fact that I can’t do anything,” Riku confesses, “Gaku-san refuses to let me leave this apartment anymore than necessary because he doesn’t want to put me at risk. He’s doing everything for me. He’s even managing Tenn-nii’s social media to put on a show to his fans so they won’t worry. Meanwhile, all I could do is just…” He feels the beginning of tears burning the back of his eyes again. “I can’t even handle my memories returning.”

Haruka makes a sympathetic sound. “The nightmares are still there?”

“Every night.” 

“That sounds...tough.” Haruka scratches his cheek awkwardly. “Sorry...I don’t know what to say that could make you feel better.”

Riku smiles weakly at him. “Don’t worry about it.”

There is a sound of a door opening, stealing Riku’s attention. He gets up from the seat and moves towards the living room with Haruka, sensing his chevalier’s presence before he could actually see him.

“Gaku-san, you’re home!” Riku runs towards Gaku, his arms extended. Gaku lets Riku embrace him readily, smiling softly at his King. Being near Gaku does help calm his nerves, and with the lack of sleep he’s been getting, Riku needs all the steadiness he can afford.

He doesn’t want to drink from him, but Riku cannot say no to being near his chevalier forever.

“Sorry to interrupt this sweet moment, but do you mind if I can actually get inside the house?” a voice interrupts dryly. Riku looks up from his embrace to see Nagi standing behind Gaku, his expression far from amused. As if remembering the guests in his home, Riku reddens before stepping aside, mumbling an apology as he does.

“Sorry, Nanase. I’ve brought Rokuya here because he said he had something interesting to say that you might want to hear,” Gaku says.

Riku perks up. “Any clues on where Tenn-nii might be?” he asks hopefully.

His hope, however, is swiftly crushed when Nagi shakes his head.

“That’s the thing though,” Nagi says, “Japan is a fairly big place, yes, but we’ve monitored all the entry ports in this country and there has been no indication that either of them has even left the city. They’re in Tokyo still, but the fact that we can’t find them could mean one thing.”

“They’re moving around?” Haruka guesses.

“Precisely,” Nagi nods, “We’re essentially playing a game of tag right now, and if we don’t find a way to force him out from his hiding, this game will go on forever.”

“And how do we do that?” Riku asks quietly.

Nagi looks at him then and Riku is suddenly filled with a sense of dread.

“Yaotome Gaku-san,” Nagi says, his eyes still on Riku, “Instead of shielding your King in this fancy apartment, it’s high time we use him to our advantage.”

“Rokuya,” Gaku warns, “I don’t think -,”

“If we’re having such a hard time finding our little rat,” Nagi interrupts, unconcerned about the displeasure in Gaku’s tone, “Why not have our little rat...come to us?”

“No, Nanase.”

“Why not?” Riku argues later that night, “I don’t see any other way, Gaku-san.”

“There is always another way,” Gaku insists, “We don’t need to sacrifice your safety for this.”

“If it means getting Tenn-nii back, I don’t mind,” Riku says fiercely, “What use is there for me to stay trapped in this apartment, Gaku-san? Why do I have to just sit here and wait while you guys do all the work for me? All I’ve been doing for these past several days is to cry against your shoulder every night and drink from you when I’m frightened by a stupid dream!”

Gaku gives him a pained look. “Nanase -,”

“I want to  _ help _ , Gaku-san. And if it means using me to lure them out, then so be it!”

His chevalier shakes his head. “I already failed to protect Tenn. I won’t let that man harm you again.”

Riku could feel the frustration boiling inside of him. He knows Gaku means well but why won’t he understand Riku’s feelings?

“You said you’ll do anything for me,” Riku says, “But why won’t you do this one thing for me?” His fists shake at his side. He looks up, his eyes shining blue as he glares at Gaku. “Why can’t you be obedient to your King?! You’re so useless!”

There is a terse silence that follows. The heat in Riku’s bright eyes does not fade nor does the anger in his heart dissipate. All the frustration he had accumulated over the past week is starting to boil over.

“Nanase,” Gaku says, his voice quiet, “I’m sorry.”

Riku clenches his jaw, his anger still simmering in his blood. “What are you even sorry for?” 

Gaku looks pained. “I -,”

_ “We’re here to announce breaking news.” _

Riku and Gaku turn their heads towards the TV, which had been quietly broadcasting a drama episode in the background during their entire conversation. The drama episode is now replaced by a pair of news anchors along with a screen showcasing a CCTV recording in the background. The recording shows a police force sealing an area to prevent civilians from entering while some of the police members gather around what appears to be a body.

_ “About an hour ago at 7.30 PM, a body was found headless near Shinjuku station -” _

The clip abruptly zooms in just as the police start to uncover the body, presumably to investigate it, giving Riku a full view of the horrific sight. The head is entirely gone, but it appears as though it wasn’t cut cleanly off. The neck is now a blood stump with jagged edges like the head was roughly separated from the body.

Most likely with the victim still alive.

“Nanase-,” Gaku starts to say but Riku is already swaying on his feet. He collapses to the floor and barely has time to catch his breath before the nausea builds up in his chest and rises out of his throat as he throws up onto the ground.

The sight of that body -

It brings back a sudden wave of familiarity that Riku does not like.

A string of murder continues the following week. 

The body count only continues to increase as more are being found scattered throughout the city. Each is found with at least one missing limb - usually the head, but there are some with missing arms or legs, or even sliced into half. All of them have their throats torn out, which it makes easier for Gaku to guess the cause behind the string of murders.

“The number of chiropterans sighted around the city definitely grew,” he notes, “Nanase could sense them as well.”

Gaku, Yamato, Nagi and the Schiffs are gathered in the living space of Gaku’s apartment again. As much as Gaku dislikes the idea, his shared home with Riku is quickly becoming the de facto centre of operations for various things - from the fruitless search of Tenn and Sato Yukio, and now the investigation of the sudden increase in murders in the city. 

Riku is fast asleep in Gaku’s room - sated with Gaku’s blood beforehand, the boy doesn’t appear to be suffering from nightmares for now. Gaku could only sigh in relief. 

“They asked the students to stop attending school for now,” Haruka mumbles, “Apparently, one of the bodies had been one of our own.”

“Your school is right at the centre of the city, isn’t it?” Gaku asks, “If a chiropteran is responsible for it, they’re getting courageous. They typically try to avoid being seen.”

“Do you think Riku’s drawing them in?” Mitsuki questions, “This was what happened before, isn’t it?”

“That couldn’t be,” Gaku argues, “He’s been in this city long enough and there hasn’t been any instance of that for the past six months until now. Besides, with his memory loss and all, his power isn’t up to its full potential yet.” 

“His memories are quickly returning, aren’t they?” Nagi points out, “He’s been having nightmares about them every night, is what you told me.”

“Nanase-san does look rather unwell when I saw him at the door,” Minami says.

“I’m telling you, it couldn’t be him,” Gaku insists, “Yes, his memories are returning but not his powers. He couldn’t do half the things he was able to a year ago. He’s not even all that used to the idea of me being his chevalier to begin with.” His fingers ball into tight fists at his sides. “It can’t be Nanase that’s drawing them in.”

An awkward silence ensues. Mitsuki looks at Gaku apologetically while Haruka and Minami are avoiding his gaze entirely. Nagi doesn’t even look convinced, adding to the growing desperation inside Gaku to defend his King.

“Guys -,”

Yamato, who had been silent this entire time, steals Gaku’s attention as he hums contemplatively.

“If it’s not Riku,” he says, “Then it’s some other powerful King or Queen.” He meets Gaku’s eyes carefully. “We can see if there are any new powerful monarch chiropterans in the area, which I prefer not to find and add more trouble to our growing list. But that would also mean that there’s only one other option.”

He tilts his head.

“Which  _ other  _ chiropteran King whose powers are growing do we know of?”

It is the end of the week when the numbers of bodies have peaked, that Ryo finally comes to visit the apartment. Gaku greets him at the door and Ryo is quick to notice the shadows under the man’s eyes.

“Have you not been sleeping, Yaotome-kun?” he asks.

“We’re still looking for Tenn. And with the recent murders popping up, we’ve been dealing with the sudden rise in chiropterans, as well.” Gaku sighs. “Have you been keeping safe, Tsukumo-san?”

“As safe as I try to be. I see…” Ryo gives Gaku a sympathetic look. “I was already on my way on a business trip when you told me about Tenn-kun. I’m sorry I couldn’t do much.”

Gaku shakes his head. “Don’t apologize for that.”

“How is Riku holding up? You’re also managing Tenn-kun’s social media still?”

“The company released a statement that Tenn’s break has been extended for an undisclosed amount of time due to ‘personal and health reasons’. There are still enough unreleased songs and promotional materials to minimize the fans’ worry and suspicion, but my old man can only be so patient without a proper explanation for so long.. Yuki-san and Momo-san would probably want one soon enough as well.”

“Well, I suppose that’s one good thing about Tenn-kun’s tendency of being a workaholic.” 

“And as for Nanase…” Gaku sighs again, “Well, there’s a reason why I invited you to stay the night. I’ll be off to help the Schiff to investigate things so I’d appreciate it if you can stay and accompany Nanase so he sleeps well.”

“He hasn’t been doing that?”

“His memories are returning,” Gaku says quietly, “They’re in the form of nightmares, though, so he’s been afraid to fall asleep. Also we…” He hesitates. “Well, it’s best if you see for yourself.”

He brings Ryo to the living room where Riku can be seen sitting on the sofa with his legs brought up to his chest as he mindlessly watches the TV. There is another drama episode playing on the screen - one that Tenn so happens to be in. While Gaku would have preferred for him not to be reminded of Tenn as much as possible, with the current semi non-speaking terms, Gaku couldn’t find room to stop him.

Riku lifts his head when he hears footsteps entering the room, his face lighting up the moment he sees Ryo.

“Ryo-san!” Riku jumps from his seat, practically launching himself into Ryo’s arms. Ryo chuckles fondly as he holds Riku close, patting the boy’s hair. “I didn’t know you’re coming by tonight.”

“Yaotome-kun asked me to stay the night,” Ryo explains cheerfully.

“Gaku-san did?” Riku reluctantly looks at Gaku, his gaze questioning. “Why?”   
  


“I’ll be away the entire night,” Gaku says, “Izumi said he found clues I could look into and I’ll be helping Nikaido and Rokuya with other things as well. I thought you wouldn’t want to be alone...to ensure you can get enough rest for the night.”

“Oh…” Riku drops his gaze in favor of burying his face against Ryo’s chest. “...Good luck then.”

Ryo blinks in puzzlement towards Riku’s behavior before this time, it is him who gives Gaku a questioning gaze.

“We had a fight,” Gaku mouths quietly.

Ah.

“I’ll get going then,” Gaku says, “Tsukumo-san, feel free to use whatever is in this apartment if it conveniences you. Call me if you need anything.” His eyes flicker towards Riku. “You too, Nanase.”

Although Riku does not answer verbally nor does he look at Gaku, he does nod. Gaku decides that that will have to do. He nods at Ryo before he makes his way to the entrance, closing the door behind him with a thud after he exits the apartment.

“It’s rare for you to sulk, Riku,” Ryo teases, “Especially towards your brother and chevalier. You’re normally so affectionate towards them.”

“Gaku-san is being overprotective,” Riku mumbles, “And...I said something dumb.”

“Hm? Like what?”

Riku tightens his grip on Ryo. “I called him useless,” he says with a shaky exhale.

“Did you mean what you said?” Ryo asks gently. When he is met with a shake of Riku’s head, he smiles and caresses Riku’s hair comfortingly. “Then it’s fine, isn’t it? I don’t know the full extent of it but I understand if you’re frustrated that Yaotome-kun isn’t letting you help, even if he means well. I can help you convince him if you want.”

Riku looks at him hopefully. “You will?”

“Anything for Riku!” Ryo kisses the tip of Riku’s nose, making the boy giggle, “But only on one condition, of course.”

“What is it?”

“You apologize to him.” Ryo chuckles when Riku visibly falters at the idea. “He’s doing this because he’s worried about your safety, Riku. And I’ve heard you haven’t been sleeping well either. He doesn’t want to put you at risk when you’re not in your best condition. Even if you don’t mean the words you said to him, you should still apologize.”

He pauses. “Yaotome-kun also owes you an apology, of course, which I’ll make sure that he gives it to you.” He kisses the top of Riku’s hair. “So be good in exchange, okay?”

“...Alright.”

“Good boy. I’ve always known you’re a good child, Riku.”

“I’m 20 years old,” Riku pouts, “I’m plenty of an adult.”

Ryo chuckles. “I know, I know. Now, enough of the heavy talk. Let’s go watch a movie or something, okay?”

“Mmph!”

They spend the majority of the night watching movie after movie to keep Riku’s minds off things. It isn’t until the third movie that Ryo notices that Riku’s eyes are beginning to droop and he’s leaning a little bit heavier against Ryo than before.

“Are you sleepy?”

Riku straightens up immediately. The sight would have been comical if Ryo doesn’t already know what it implies.

“I’m not,” Riku says stubbornly, “I can watch another movie.” Despite his words, Ryo could tell that he’s struggling to keep conscious, even nodding off during a few instances. Ryo glances at the wall clock and sees that it is already past midnight. 

“Riku, you need to get some sleep,” he coaxes, “I’ll be with you tonight so it’s alright.”

Riku grows quiet, his gaze downcast.

“You won’t be with me when I’m dreaming, though,” Riku whispers softly. He lifts his head to look at Ryo, his eyes shining with unshed tears. “Gaku-san slept by my side for the past week and yet I still suffer from these nightmares. I don’t want to sleep, Ryo-san. I don’t want to dream of my memories anymore.”

His voice breaks at the last word before he finally starts crying more openly in front of Ryo. Ryo quickly gathers Riku into his arms, hugging the boy close. It’s reminiscent of how Gaku does it and this only makes Riku cry harder, his tears flowing freely from his eyes now.

“With Tenn-nii gone, I could feel myself slipping away,” he sobs, “Maybe I was wrong, Ryo-san. Maybe I shouldn’t have wanted to remember the past. It’s so  _ horrible _ ...I don’t want to remember anymore.” 

“Riku…”

Ryo let him cry against his chest, thinking it’s best if he lets the boy get everything off his chest. Eventually, the sobs die down and Ryo feels Riku’s arms snaking his neck. He looks down to see Riku staring at him with eyes that still shine with tears. They stare at each other in silence, with the sound of their breathing being the only thing Ryo could focus on.

Riku is the first one to close the distance between them, slotting their lips together into a kiss.

It’s heartbreaking, really, how even through such an affectionate gesture, Ryo could feel the desperation through it. Desperation to be comforted. Desperation to forget. It reminds him of a not so distant past, in cities far, far away, where Riku would seek him out and coyly asked Ryo to make love to him, and yet in the midst of it, Riku’s mind had been clearly far away that Ryo could never hope to reach it.

When the Riku now in the current present breaks off the kiss to bury his face against Ryo’s neck, a strangled sob rising out of his throat once more -

Ryo could tell that Riku could neither be comforted, nor could he forget about the pain in his heart.

When Gaku comes home just shortly after sunrise, he peeks inside Riku’s room and isn’t surprised to see Ryo holding the boy close on the bed as Riku sleeps. Ryo is already awake, putting a finger to his lips when he sees Gaku coming in.

“Did he sleep well?” Gaku asks softly.

Ryo gestures to the dried tear tracks on Riku’s cheeks. “He woke up a few times throughout the night. You weren’t exaggerating when you said his nightmares were really bad.”

Gaku sighs, his expression troubled. “I’m worried this will weaken his psyche further. With the current situation...I wish Tenn is here. He knows how to handle Riku the best.” He exhales. “In any case, I’ll leave the two of you alone.”

“Yaotome-kun.”

“Yes, Tsukumo-san?”

“Are you manning the bar tonight?”

Gaku blinks in confusion. “Um. I’m supposed to, yeah.”

“Don’t. Change shifts with any of your employees or something.”

“Eh, why?”

Ryo looks at Gaku with serious eyes. “Tonight, go on a walk with Riku and sort things out. Trust me when I say this but it’s for both of your sake.”

The air between Gaku and Riku is awkward and tense when the two walk side by side in the park later that night. 

Gaku hasn’t offered much explanation to Riku earlier that day other than the invitation to go for a walk together at the park nearby their apartment under the excuse that Riku might be itching for some fresh air by now. Riku had been suspicious, and rightfully so, and when he turned to Ryo for some sort of explanation, the man merely grinned and told Riku to have fun before he left the apartment.

And now here they are, quickly close to finishing their first round around the park. They had barely said a word to each other throughout the walk and Gaku is beginning to think if this is even a good idea. Just as he is about to suggest to Riku to just go home for the night, Riku speaks.

“I’m sorry.”

“Eh?”

It isn’t the smartest way to react towards an apology but Gaku is so caught off-guard that he couldn’t think of any other way.

Riku is finally looking at him. “I’m really sorry for my words the other day. I shouldn’t have called you useless...I didn’t mean it! I was just…” He bites his lip. “I’m sorry, Gaku-san.”

“O-oh, that?” Gaku scratches the back of his neck. “You don’t have to apologize for that, Nanase. I never took it to heart. I knew you were upset and you were right to be. It’s frustrating, isn’t it? Being stuck in that apartment.”

“I know you were just trying to protect me.”

“I was...but I also should have considered your feelings. If there is anyone who should apologize, it’s me.” He pats Riku’s shoulder, looking at him ruefully. “I’m sorry that I couldn’t do more. With each passing day that I couldn’t find Tenn and bring him home to us, the more disappointed I feel towards myself. I feel like I’ve failed you.”

“Gaku-san…” Riku ducks his head. “I -,”

Riku is interrupted by a blood-curdling scream...as well as a sudden thump in his heart that has him gasping loudly at the sheer intensity of it. Gaku’s entire body tenses, the expression on his face indicating that he’s thinking the same thing Riku is.

There is a presence nearby. One that feels entirely too familiar.

The scream starts up again, followed by pleas for mercy. Following the direction of the voice, Riku and Gaku rush to the scene.

“Hey!” Gaku shouts, “What’s going on -,”

He stills, pausing in his steps. Beside him, Riku lets out a strangled cry when he witnesses the scene unfolding before his very eyes.

There are two people in front of them. One of them is a woman, whose screams are abruptly cut short when a hand practically tears through her stomach from behind. Blood splatters everywhere as her body jerks and thrashes from the shock and the pain of being gutted alive. Another hand tears through her throat, effectively ending her life.

The person behind her is a young man, whose eyes shine bright red as he sinks his teeth into the now dead woman’s torn throat. He drinks her blood without a care in the world, seemingly unaware… or uncaring of the audience he has.

It isn’t until Gaku’s lips move to say a single name that the young man finally turns to look at them.

_ “Tenn?” _

  
  



	8. seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: NTR

**Chapter seven**

  
  


For a long, drawn out moment, Gaku and Riku could only stare at the scene unfolding before them in stunned silence. Tenn is preoccupied with his feeding still to really notice the two of them, his fangs stained red as he forces them deeper into the woman’s throat. Gaku hears a stifled gasp from Riku when Tenn moves his hands and _breaks_ the woman’s neck to gain further access to her throat.

By the time he is done with the corpse, the woman’s head is halfway dangling from her broken neck. He tosses the body aside like it is a piece of garbage. The front of Tenn’s shirt is stained with blood, the color as vibrant as the red in his eyes. He brings his hand to his mouth, licking the blood that coats his palm and fingers. 

This is too much. Unable to take it anymore, Gaku is the first one to open his mouth and speak.

“Tenn?” he says, “Tenn...you...what are you doing?”

Tenn’s red eyes finally slide towards him, his head tilted in what appears to be curiosity.

“Oh, Gaku. It’s you,” he says, “I was feeding. Couldn’t you tell?” 

Under normal circumstances, hearing his voice again after weeks of trying to find him would have sent Gaku rushing forward to pull Tenn into his arms. But the immense feeling of relief is quickly overrun by an unsettling bone-chilling sense of _wrongness_ that Gaku couldn’t really put into words. The way Tenn is looking at him right now -

His gaze is cold and unconcerned, just like his actions had been when he tossed the woman’s corpse aside without even a second thought. It’s so different from the Tenn Gaku knows - who would rather feed from bags of donated blood than to get it fresh from civilians. The fact that he doesn’t have a chevalier anymore makes it his only alternative, unlike Riku who still has Gaku to turn to if he doesn’t want to hunt for live prey.

Now, it’s as though Tenn had a complete change in heart. 

“Where were you?” Gaku asks, “We’ve been looking everywhere for you.” He hesitates before he asks the next question. “There were...rise in killings in the city lately, as well as a rise in chiropterans. Tenn, you….were you responsible for that?”

Tenn answers the second question first.

“I was hungry,” he answers lightly, “And if my powers increased while I was feeding, it couldn’t be helped that chiropterans are drawn towards me.” He smiles a little at Gaku. “Did you take care of them for me, Gaku?”

He says those words the same way one would when idly describing the weather - unconcerned, unattached, dispassionate. Like he sees nothing wrong with what he’s doing. Like murdering a woman brutally to feed is nothing more than a daily necessity. 

“And as for where I’ve been, I…” Tenn pauses, frowning a little. “Hm… I don’t...I don’t think I remember clearly. I was so hungry, Gaku. I just cared about feeding.”

“Tenn,” Gaku chokes out, “Y-you…”

“Hm, do you miss me, Gaku?” Tenn asks with another smile, “I must have been gone for quite a while, huh? I really didn’t notice.” He takes a few steps forward, before they are chest-to-chest. The strong smell of blood that surrounds Gaku is enough to make him nauseous - the nausea stemming from his intense struggle to squash down the desire from licking the blood from Tenn’s hands. Tenn throws his arms around Gaku’s neck, nuzzling his cheek. “I miss you too, Gaku. Give me a kiss?” he asks in a coy tone, “I can share this blood with you.”

Gaku is hit with a strong feeling of deja vu. Sometime in a not so distant past, someone else had treated him with the same amount of blatant coyness, toying with his feelings for their own amusement. Now, that person wears Tenn’s face, replacing blue eyes with red. Replacing his King with his lover.

“Tenn-nii,” Riku stammers behind Gaku, breaking his train of thoughts, “What _happened_ to you?”

It is then that Tenn finally looks at Riku. And for a moment, that’s all he does - looks. There is no change in his expression. It’s almost as if in that short moment, Tenn doesn’t even recognize who Riku is.

And then, everything changes in a blink of an eye.

_“You,”_ Tenn snarls, “How dare you show your face in front of me?”

“E-eh?” Riku stammers, completely taken aback. “What do you mean, Tenn-nii? It’s -,”

Riku has a split second to see the gleam of metal in the dark when Tenn unsheathes what appears to be a katana from his side - one that is different than the one Tenn kept at home, and one that Riku had failed to notice until the very last moment - before his brother launches himself towards Riku.

The metal would have sliced right through Riku if it weren’t for Gaku pushing him to the side, blocking the katana blade with his hands, now morphed into those of a chiropterans. His eyes are glowing blue as he snarls at Tenn, his fangs now revealed.

“What are you _doing_ , Tenn?!” he yells, “Snap out of it - that’s your brother you’re attacking!”

“Stay out of my way, Gaku,” Tenn growls back, “If you keep defending him, I’ll strike you down!”

His words bring back a sense of deja vu to Gaku. The way he is coldly glaring at Gaku, Tenn’s new katana pressed insistently against Gaku’s claws that it will surely break skin soon enough - Gaku had seen and experienced all of these before. In a not so distant past, in a different city far, far away -

Where Tenn’s heart had temporarily closed off to protect himself from the pain and to allow himself to be driven by anger and hatred towards his own twin brother.

But the Riku back then and the Riku now are different. Tenn’s hatred towards him back then had been somewhat justified if Gaku had to be completely honest. But now -

Gaku pulls back one hand before bringing it down in a powerful swipe. Tenn dodges it with barely any effort, jumping away from him. Gaku had no intention of really striking him to begin with - he just needed to put distance between Tenn and Riku. He rushes back to his King, standing protectively in front of him.

“You’re acting strange, Tenn,” Gaku says again, “That man...he did something to you, didn’t he?”

Behind him, Riku flinches. “Sato Yukio...what did he do to you, Tenn-nii?” he asks desperately, “Please, let us help -,”

“Don’t ever say my name again,” Tenn hisses, “The only thing I want is you _dead._ ”

“Tenn,” Gaku gasps, aghast.

“And if I need to,” Tenn turns to Gaku briefly, “I’ll kill you, too!”

He readies his katana again before he rocks back on his heels and launches himself towards Gaku. His weapon makes a curve in the air as he brings it down into a slash, only narrowly missing Gaku’s shoulder when the man dodges at the last minute. He continues attacking Gaku relentlessly, forcing Gaku to raise his hands against Tenn. Gritting his teeth, Gaku extends his claws and makes a forward swipe, only for Tenn to easily dodge it and head towards another direction.

Towards Riku. 

“Nanase!” Gaku screams.

Just as Tenn’s katana is about to strike, Riku’s instinct seems to activate on its own. With a snarl, his hands shoot up to grab the katana’s blade, gripping it uncaring of the fact the blade is cutting deeply into his palm before pulling it close to drag Tenn towards him. His leg lifts and curls before Riku kicks Tenn in the stomach, his strength as a chiropteran King sending Tenn flying. Tenn’s back slams against a tree, a choked off cry escaping the boy’s lips. 

Shocked to his core, Gaku could only watch in stunned silence as Tenn slid down the tree into a crumpled heap, while Riku watched, his eyes glowing bright, his fangs exposed with a curl of his lip.

Tenn quickly gets up, his head ducked as his shoulders wreck with laughter. When he lifts his head, his red eyes look at Riku coldly, his lips twisted into a sneer.

“See? I’ve always known you’re the monster I’ve always known,” he says.

This snaps Riku back to reality, the glow in his eyes quickly dissipating. 

“Tenn-nii…” Riku looks at his twin brother desperately, “ _Please,_ tell me what’s going on. I just need to understand.”

Tenn only looks even angrier at Riku’s words, snatching his katana off the ground to position it in front of him again. “Quit asking me that,” he hisses, “It won’t matter if you die!”

Tenn launches himself towards Riku again and the dance between the twins begins as Riku desperately tries to block every attack Tenn gives him without needing to fight back. He continues to plead to Tenn, though his words seem to have fallen on deaf ears. Gaku tries to intervene but something in his gut stops his legs from moving.

From his prior experience, it is never wise to try to step into the battle between Kings, no matter the circumstances. 

But,

As he watches with a troubled gaze, he couldn’t help but notice how Tenn’s actions and expressions are becoming more and more erratic. It looks as though…

Tenn is losing control of his own emotions.

“Stop moving and let me kill you!” Tenn screams. His attacks are less refined now, allowing Riku to dodge them with more ease. Riku grits his teeth before he pulls his leg back and kicks Tenn on the side again. Tenn catches himself faster this time, swinging his katana and thrusting it forward.

The blade meets flesh, but not Riku’s.

“Gaku-san!” Riku cries out.

Gaku finds an opening to slide in front of Riku, raising his clawed hand and letting it be stabbed through by Tenn’s katana. The pain makes Gaku wince, but he stands his ground, glaring at Tenn, who glares at him in return.

“Gaku, you’re the last person I want interfering,” Tenn spits out, “Step aside and let me kill him.”

“You’ve got to be out of your goddamn mind if you think I’ll let you do that, Tenn,” Gaku snaps, “Let us help you instead and figure out what that bastard did to you -,”

“What he did to me,” Tenn roars, “Was to open my goddamn eyes!” 

“Tenn-nii!” Riku begs, “Stop -,”

“Tenn-kun~,” a new voice interrupts, “It’s alright, darling. You can rest easy now.”

A figure steps out from the shadows, holding Tenn by the shoulders before pulling him back. One of the hands snake to cover Tenn’s eyes, while a pair of lips lean to nuzzle the tip of Tenn’s ear before it moves in a whisper.

“You can go to sleep now, sweetheart. I’ll take care of everything.”

Riku lets out a strangled gasp just as Gaku clenches his jaw in anger the moment they realize who the newcomer is.

Sato Yukio looks at them both with a smirk, holding Tenn close as the boy stills before crumpling into his waiting arms. 

“You,” Gaku snarls, “What did you do to Tenn?!”

“Oh, just this and that,” Yukio answers lightly, “I switched off his emotions, that’s all.” 

“You _what?_ ”

“Now he won’t feel things like guilt when he feeds and kills people. He doesn’t need those things anyway. The only thing I had him feel is…” He glances at Riku. “Is hatred towards you, Riku-kun.”

“Why?” Riku asks shakily, “Why are you doing this?”

Yukio smiles.

“Because it’s your fate, Riku-kun,” he says.

He gathers the unconscious Tenn into his arms and picks up his katana. 

“Well then, it’s been nice talking to you. I do hope you two like the preview I gave you.”

“Wait!” Gaku growls, “If you think we’ll just let you go -,”

Yukio presses one hand against the sleeping Tenn’s throat, the limb now transformed into a blade. His red eyes are mocking when he sees the shock written all over Gaku and Riku’s faces.

“Try, and I won’t hesitate killing him right here. He’s not my King, after all. I’m not bound by any sort of loyalty.”

“Gaku-san,” Riku cries softly, grabbing Gaku’s sleeves desperately, “Please don’t. Tenn-nii will get hurt. I don’t want that.”

Gaku looks conflicted. “But -,”

“Don’t worry,” Yukio sings, “I promise I’ll let you see him again soon enough.” He kisses the top of Tenn’s hair, smiling at Gaku’s murderous stare on him. “I’ll keep your lover safe. I know how good he is in bed, after all.”

Gaku sees red when the man’s words register in his mind.

“You bastard -!”

“Keep on looking for me in the meantime, Riku-kun. Yaotome-kun~!”

Before the two of them could react, Yukio steps back into the shadows, running off in a blink of an eye, disappearing with Tenn in his arms. 

“So it was Kujou-san in the end,” Minami says later that night.

The apartment is crowded with familiar faces. The Schiff linger by the stairway while Yamato and Nagi sit on the sofa, all five with varying expressions on their faces. Gaku stands against the wall, his forehead lined with deep creases, his arms folded. 

Riku sits opposite Yamato and Nagi, his legs brought to his chest and his chin propped on the pillow he’s hugging close.

“To be honest, we were suspecting that might be the case,” Mitsuki says, “This many chiropterans - only a monarch can draw them in like this. Throughout the week, we’ve been tracking for any new Queens and there aren’t any. With Yaotome-san insisting that it wasn’t Riku…”

Riku squeezes his eyes shut, wishing he could block out reality. There is a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it comfortingly. He doesn’t need to look behind him to know it’s Gaku.

“Somehow, this gives me a lot of deja vu,” Yamato says, “This happened before, didn’t it? With Riku.”

That gets Riku’s attention. He snaps his eyes open and looks at Yamato questioningly.

“Oi, Nikaido,” Gaku warns, “Nanase doesn’t remember yet -,”

“No, it’s fine,” Riku insists, “Yamato-san, what do you mean when you say that?”

Yamato glances at Gaku briefly before meeting Riku’s gaze carefully. “You sure you want to know?”

“Tell me,” Riku says, “At this rate...I’ll be sure to remember it eventually. I would rather find out through you than through those dreams again.”

Yamato sighs. “I suppose you have a point.” He crosses his arms. “I still think it’s something that should come to you on its own, so I won’t go into too much detail.” He pauses. “Did Tenn tell you much about Kujou-san?”

Riku shakes his head. “He told me at some point that he died, but that’s about it.”

“Did Yaotome-san tell you much about Nagi and I? Or Mitsuki, Isumi or Natsume?”

His question is met with another head shake.

“Tenn said it wasn’t necessary yet,” Gaku mutters, “This was before the nightmares, of course.”

“Well, to cut the story short,” Yamato says, “We used to be on different sides.”

Riku blinks. “...sides?”

“Kujou-san served his King,” Nagi chimes in, “Tenn had one more chevalier in the past as well. And then there’s Yamato and myself, who worked under Kujou-san at some point. That’s one side.” He points at Riku. “And then, there is yours.”

The hand on Riku’s shoulder twitches.

“Your side,” Yamato continues, “Consists of you, and your chevaliers. That, of course, means Yaotome. Along with two others. I believe you’re wearing a pendant of one of your chevaliers’ blood right now.”

As if reminded of its existence, Riku glances down at the red pendant around his neck. “...It’s Iori’s.”

“The other one had been Osaka. You might have heard his name, once or twice.” 

Riku glances at Minami. “He used to...write my songs when I was a singer in the past. That’s all I was told.”

Yamato nods. “So there were us two, Kujou Tenn, Yotsuba Tamaki and of course, Kujou-san on one side. And then there’s you and your chevaliers on the other.” He points towards the Schiffs. “These people belonged somewhere in between.”

“We pursued you for our own reasons,” Haruka mumbles when Riku looks at him, “I’m not sure how much I can tell.”

Riku feels as if his head is spinning.

“What are you trying to get at…?” he asks in a faraway tone.

“I’m saying,” Yamato continues, “Your brother and yourself used to be enemies, Riku. And the way you drew him out in the beginning was through a trail of murder cases, caused by you carelessly feeding and the chiropterans you have both summoned and created.”

“Nikaido -” Gaku warns again, “That’s too much. You’ll overwhelm him.”

“Created?” Riku echoes, “I...I…” He takes a deep shuddering breath. “...please continue. While I can still take it.”

“Considering the same thing is happening with Kujou,” Mitsuki says, “And the fact that the one behind it had been someone closely acquainted with you in the past, we might think that… it’s a re-enactment.”

Riku stills.

“Sato Yukio is recreating whatever you did in the past, only this time, through your brother,” Minami pipes in. “It does make sense. You said your brother had a complete personality change, didn’t you? Something about...his emotions being switched off.”

“I…” Riku looks at Gaku, his pupils shaking. “In the past, did I… act the same way?” 

Gaku gives him a troubled look. “Nanase…I...” He clenches his fists before looking away. 

“I suppose there is only one real question to this little predicament,” Nagi interrupts, drawing back Riku’s attention.

When everyone looks at him, Nagi sighs before leaning against the sofa tiredly.

“Why would Sato Yukio go through all the trouble to reenact whatever Riku did in the past? I suppose the more important question is, why use Kujou Tenn?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Haruka says, “Sato Yukio clearly had something against Nanase in the past. It’s his revenge against him.” He looks at Riku. “The actual question we should consider...or rather, what Nanase should remember, is _what_ that something was.”

His words shock Riku to the core, rendering him speechless. He tightens his hold on the pillow, squeezing it so tightly that he could have pushed out all the stuffings inside. Just then, there is a sound of the doorbell, startling everyone in the room.

Gaku warily walks over and presses the button of the intercom.

“Who is it?”

_“How rude,”_ says the voice from the other side, _“You’re the one who invited me over and yet you can’t even remember your own guest?”_

Gaku presses another button to turn on the screen, which shows none other than Tsukumo Ryo standing outside their door. 

  
  


Gaku decides to leave Riku and Ryo alone in Riku’s bedroom while he continues the discussion in the dining room, which is far enough from the bedroom that Riku could block out the conversation if he tries.

Riku sits on the bed, leaning against Ryo’s shoulder quietly. He had just finished telling him everything had happened, and while the weight of the burden on his chest did not lessen much, Ryo’s presence comforts him a little, allowing him to breathe slightly easier.

“So that’s what happened,” Ryo murmurs, holding Riku close. “You’re facing so much in such a short time…”

“I don’t know what to do,” Riku says brokenly, “If Sato Yukio really did that to Tenn-nii as revenge for whatever I did in the past…” He shudders, lifting his head from Ryo’s shoulder to wrap his arms around himself. “My memories haven’t gotten very far yet but...if what Yamato-san said is true...if Tenn-nii and I really were enemies in the past, I must have...I must have done something so horrible. Much more horrible than just killing off civilians to feed. He said I turned people into chiropterans and -,”

His breathing quickens.

“I don’t know if I’m a terrible person and how much I hurt Tenn-nii with whatever I did and -,”

“Riku, h-hey,” Ryo says, his hands bracing Riku, “Please try to calm down. You’re hyperventilating -,”

Riku pushes Ryo away, startling Ryo. “I don’t know if you should be near me,” Riku says harshly, “I-If Sato Yukio took Tenn-nii away from me to hurt me, t-then...there’s a possibility he’ll hurt you too, to hurt me more. I...I…” Riku shudders more violently, panic starting to overcome him. Somewhere in the distance, he hears footsteps approach his room at a somewhat urgent pace. “I don’t know how to keep you safe,” he admits at last.

His words are met with a brief silence.

Ryo breaks it with a soft whisper.

“There is...always that option.”

Riku’s head snaps up, looking at Ryo with a look of horror.

_“No,”_ he says forcefully, “I - Ryo-san, that’s out of the question.”

“Riku,” Ryo says gently, “If you’re worried about the pain that comes with it, I can endure it. And wouldn’t it be better if I can protect you? If I’m stronger to do that?”

Riku shakes his head. “I will not force that life on you,” he says, “Anything...anything but that.” He bites his bottom lip. “I don’t remember how I made Gaku-san my chevalier, but if it’s how I think it is...considering what Yamato-san alluded what my past was like, the last thing I want is that.” He looks Ryo in the eye. “I will not forcefully bind you to me, Ryo-san.” 

“Riku…”  
  


He decides to relent for now, gathering Riku into his arms once more. He feels the boy’s arms snake around his neck before Riku’s face is now inches away from him. He immediately understands. He leans forward, one hand reaching to cradle the back of Riku’s head, before he slots their lips together into a kiss.

They continue to kiss even as Ryo presses Riku against the mattress, caging the boy under him with his body weight. Riku’s kisses turn desperate - one that Ryo fills with as much affection as he could offer. 

“Do you want to -?” Ryo asks breathlessly.

Riku looks at him with bright eyes.

“For tonight,” he says softly, “Just hold me close, Ryo-san.” 

He pulls Ryo’s head down so he could kiss him, deeper and much more desperately than before. When Riku parts his lips so Ryo could taste him fully, the latter drowns in it, just as Riku drowns in all that is Ryo.

Outside the room, Gaku slowly walks away, leaving the two with their privacy. He’ll let Ryo spend the night if it means his King can sleep well for at least the night. 

After all, leaving Riku alone in the arms of another…

It’s not as if it’s something Gaku had not learned to get used to. Especially Tsukumo Ryo’s. 

_“I don’t remember how I made Gaku-san my chevalier.”_

Gaku has a troubled smile on his face.

“That’s one memory I would rather you not remember, Nanase,” he says quietly. 

In a mansion somewhere far, far away,

A pair of King and chevalier embrace each other in the mansion’s main bedroom, with the King straddling the chevalier’s lap, a low growl escaping his lips as he gives the man an open-mouthed kiss. The King is completely naked, his arms thrown around the chevalier’s neck to bring their bodies together. His hands part the chevalier’s unbuttoned shirt to push it down his shoulders while his hips continue to grind against the chevalier’s, driving the cock inside of him further. It drags deliciously against his throbbing walls, and the King bites the chevalier’s bottom lip but not hard enough for it to bleed.

For the chevalier does not belong to the King, nor do the King belong to the chevalier. 

“Tenn-kun, you’re so eager today,” Yukio purrs as he mouths Tenn’s throat, “Is it because you met your brother?”

He grips Tenn’s hips, raising them a little before slamming Tenn back down onto his cock. Tenn gives a choked cry, his sharp nails raking down Yukio’s back. 

“Oh, shut up,” Tenn growls, “I just have a lot of energy to spend and you’re a convenient warm body to hold - _hn_ -,” He hisses when Yukio’s cock rubs against his prostate. “I would rather fuck Gaku then to fuck you.”

“You say that, but you squeeze around me so tightly,” Yukio says with a grin. He pushes Tenn down onto the mattress, hooking the King’s legs around his waist before thrusting into him again. He listens to the King’s moans above him as he leans down and licks Tenn’s nipples, swirling his tongue on the tip. “Aren’t you glad I switched off your emotions, darling? You don’t need any conscience. Just feed and have sex to your heart’s content.”

“You talk too much,” Tenn snaps, “Just fuck me already.”

“Your wish is my command,” Yukio chuckles, before he _slams_ into Tenn, their hips connecting with a loud slapping sound. Tenn pushes himself up to wrap his arms around Yukio’s neck again, slotting their lips together so he can devour Yukio’s mouth. Their tongues tangle wetly against the other, their messy open-mouthed kisses amplifying the sound of pleasures Tenn makes as Yukio continues to fuck him with vigour.

“Do you want to bring Yaotome-kun here?” Yukio asks breathlessly, now lying on his back as Tenn rides him in earnest. Tenn holds Yukio’s hands and presses them against his leaking cock, so Yukio can stroke him as he bounces on Yukio’s cock. “He’s been looking for us, you know.

_“H-hngh - H-ah!”_ Tenn gasps, his lips wet with drool and his red eyes glowing brightly in the room. “That would be a lovely - _mmph!_ \- idea, but I have a better one.”

“Oh?” Yukio raises an eyebrow. “And what would that be?” 

Tenn smiles, showing his fangs. He swats Yukio’s hands away and makes him watch as he strokes himself with deliberate slowness while increasing his pace. His cock now drools with pre-cum, dripping down his hard length and trickling in between his thighs. He licks his lips, purposely letting out a moan so debased that it sends a dark heat down Yukio’s gut as he watches Tenn’s other hand move to rub his nipples.

“I want a brand new chevalier,” Tenn sighs, “One I can fuck to my heart’s content while I drain him off his blood.”

Yukio smiles.

Tenn comes with a loud cry, his release coming out in white stripes. It lands on his face - staining his cheeks, nose and even some of his hair. Yukio comes with a groan soon after, filling Tenn up with his release. After he pulls himself off Yukio’s cock, Tenn leans back against the headrest, spreads his legs and hooks his fingers into his hole, letting some of his own release mix in with Yukio’s cum that dribbles out of his hole, causing the white stuff to froth at his entrance.

“If I have a chevalier of my own,” Tenn purrs, sounding a little breathless, “You wouldn’t have to work so hard.”

“I don’t mind if it’s for you, darling,” Yukio says as he crawls towards Tenn, caging him under his weight. “But if it’s a chevalier you want…”

He bares his fangs, knicking Tenn’s throat.

“I know _just_ the person in mind.”

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates will continue to be a little slower at least until December, as I am approaching the busy period of my semester, but I'll try to update at least once a month. 
> 
> Kudos/comments/bookmarks are appreciated~


	9. eight

**Chapter eight**

It’s the sunlight streaming from the bedroom windows that wakes him up.

Careful not to rouse the sleeping Riku in his arms, Ryo untangles himself from the boy and swings his legs off the mattress. He glances at himself in the mirror as he picks up his clothes from the floor, taking in the kiss marks on his throat and chest with a thinly veiled amusement. Though they didn’t go all the way last night, Riku’s kisses had definitely been... _passionate._ He buttons his shirt on and smoothes out the rest of his outfit and hair before he turns around towards the bed again.

“Sleep some more, Riku,” Ryo says tenderly, “For now, just rest.” He presses a kiss on the boy’s hair. Riku makes a sound in his sleep, snuggling more under the covers, but otherwise does not stir. 

His footsteps are muted against the carpeted floor when he makes his way to the kitchen where he spots Gaku with an apron around his waist.

“You look good in that,” Ryo comments idly, attracting Gaku’s attention from the stove, “Look as though you just stepped out from a magazine shoot.” 

“Don’t say strange things first thing in the morning,” Gaku grimaces, “Good morning, Tsukumo-san. Did you have a good sleep?”

“Is that an indirect question of whether I had sex with Riku last night?” Ryo teases, laughing when Gaku grimaces again. “I didn’t, by the way. Riku’s too frazzled to do anything beyond kissing and some heavy petting anyway -,”

“Tsukumo-san, I don’t need to know the details,” Gaku sighs, earning another laugh from the man, “Couldn’t you say yes or no to my question?”

“So grumpy,” Ryo laments with a shake of his head, “Yes, I did, Yaotome-kun. Thank you for asking. Who are you cooking for, by the way? Neither you nor Riku eat human food.”

“No, but are you forgetting that _you’re_ human? I’m not a professional chef, so I hope these will do.” Gaku shows Ryo the bowl of rice and grilled fish on the table. “I’m making the omelete so wait a little bit.”

“Oh, how homely. It’s been awhile since I’ve had a proper Japanese breakfast.” Ryo takes a seat at the table, smiling at how good the food smells. “What’s the rundown from last night?”

“The only thing we found out is that Sato allowing Tenn to be discovered left a trail for us to follow. But we’re hesitating because we don’t know how reliable that trail is - if it’s just a trap he laid for us. With Tenn at risk, we don’t want to make risky moves…” Gaku turns off the stove and serves the rolled omelette on a plate before placing it in front of Ryo. “Here.”

Ryo claps his hands together. “I will eat well,” he says.

Gaku smiles a little. “Please do.”

Ryo spies from the corners of his eyes as he eats, noticing that Gaku is now swiping through his phone, the lines on his forehead deepening.

“Is that Tenn-kun’s SNS?” Ryo asks, “You’re still managing it?”

“I try to, at least a week. He’s supposed to be on break for health reasons, but you know how the fans are.” Gaku sighs. “Fans aside, my old man’s been getting antsy. I was vague about why Tenn needed a break, and I guess from the way he thinks, he expected Tenn to get _some_ work done during his hiatus. Apparently, his promotional materials are running out, even if the company spaces them out.”

“Always thinking about money, huh?” Ryo says in a pitying voice.

“He’s a businessman, after all,” Gaku says, “He may have loosened up a little, but he can’t really change who he is.” Gaku sighs again. “I don’t have time to worry about this, but I also don’t want all of Tenn’s hard work to go to waste. He became an idol for Riku’s sake, after all.”

Ryo hums around his chopsticks. “To continue that child’s dream, huh? Even if he no longer remembers it?”

“Tsukumo-san…”

“Well, I can’t be the judge of how you want to do things. If you believe it’s for Riku’s sake, then I won’t say anything.” Ryo tears apart the fish on his plate. “For what it’s worth, I do hope you find Tenn-kun soon. I’m sorry I can’t do much to help.”

“You being by Nanase’s side is doing a lot,” Gaku says, “I may be his chevalier, but out of the two of us, I think you understand Nanase the best.”

“You flatter me, Yaotome-kun.”

“I’m telling the truth.”

Ryo huffs out a smile. “If you say so.” He eats the last of his meal, before he places the chopsticks on the bowl. With another clap of his hands, he bows his head a little. “Thank you for the meal, Yaotome-kun. For someone who hasn’t eaten human food for a few years, I see that you haven’t lost your touch.”

Gaku gives a smirk. “I handle a bar and for several years, worked part-time at my grandparent’s soba shop. There’s no way that’ll happen.” He watches as Ryo rises from his seat. “You leaving?”

“Yup. I’m a busy man, unfortunately. I’ll drop by Yaotome Productions to discuss things over with your father about Tenn-kun, Yaotome-kun. So he’ll stop bothering you for a while.”

Gaku blinks. “You don’t need to do that.”

Ryo tuts. “Accept the help when it’s offered to you, Yaotome-kun. Anyway, I have to go. Tell Riku I’ll call him after work today when he wakes up.”

“I’ll walk you to the door,” Gaku offers.

“Oh, always the gentleman!”

Gaku swipes his screen to close the SNS app before setting down the phone onto the table. The pair walks out of the kitchen, exchanging lighthearted chatter on the way. 

On the table, the phone is still and silent.

With the notifications set off, the phone does not make a sound nor is there any indication on the SNS icon when a new status appears on Tenn’s SNS profile, accompanied by a single pink heart emoticon.

_Did you miss me, my lovely fans? I’ll release something new soon._

It is near afternoon when Riku finally wakes up. He isn’t surprised to see Ryo gone and when he checks his phone, there is already a message waiting for him.

_I told Yaotome-kun to remind you, but I’ll give you a call tonight after work. Rest well, Riku <3 _

It brings a smile to Riku’s face. He sets down the phone immediately after reading the message, choosing to see Gaku first before anything else. He finds the man sitting on one of the armchairs in the living room, watching the news. He turns his head towards Riku when he senses the boy coming in.

“You’re up, sleepyhead,” Gaku teases, “I was beginning to wonder if I need to wake you up myself.” Then, in a gentler tone. “Did you sleep well?”

Riku nods. “I didn’t have nightmares tonight...I wonder if it’s because Ryo-san was here.” He flushes when he realizes what he said, coughing purposely to hide his embarrassment. “A-anyway…” He reaches for Gaku’s arm. “Can I…?”

“Do you need to feed?”

“Mmph.”

Gaku lets Riku climb onto his lap and unbutton his collar. He places his hands onto the boy’s waist to steady him as Riku presses himself against Gaku’s chest. Gaku feels a breath washing over his skin before he feels a prick of pain when Riku sinks his teeth into his throat.

He sighs, closing his eyes. “I’m glad you’re a little better, Nanase.”

Riku grips Gaku’s shirt in response. He tilts his head, the angle making it easier for him to drink more. Gaku lets out a soft sigh again, his body relaxing against Riku. When the latter finally lets him go, Riku rocks back against his heels to look at Gaku. He feels a hand stroking his cheek tenderly. Riku leans against the touch automatically. 

“I’m sorry for worrying you,” Riku murmurs, “Since I slept well last night, I’m a little more clear-headed than I was the past week.”

“I guess bringing Tsukumo-san over was a good idea, huh?” Gaku smiles teasingly. “I made sure to steer clear from the room last night just in case. I’ll give him credit for his boldness for doing it when I’m in the vicinity, that’s all I’m going to say.”

His words achieve the intended effect - Riku colors, turning away with a huff. “We didn’t do any -....much,” he relents, “W-why would I do it in this house anyway? Not with you and the Schiffs and Yamato-san and Nagi-san so near. N-no way!”

Gaku laughs, pleased that Riku’s well enough to react this strongly to a teasing. “I know, I know. I was just joking.”

“Hmph,” Riku pouts, crossing his arms. Gaku ruffles his hair, grinning. 

“Hey, Nanase. I’m going to handle the bar tonight. I’ve been leaving it to my employees for too long and it’s about time I take over at least one shift. Would you like to come along tonight?” Gaku suggests, “I know you must be bored being stuck in this apartment. With leads on Tenn currently leading to a dead end, I figured it’ll be good for you to take your mind off it for at least the night.”

Riku blinks, hesitating. “Is it okay for me to come along? The last time I was there…”

He had forced Gaku back with his powers during a brief fit of rage. Needless to say, the bar now holds some unpleasant memories.

“If you don’t want to, I won’t force you,” Gaku says gently, “But I can’t leave you alone here either - that is, if you even want to stay in the apartment either.” At Riku’s swift shake of his head, Gaku continues. “I could ask Isumi to pick you up and let you stay at his place while I work…”

“If it’s alright with you, I’ll help you at the bar tonight,” Riku says, “I don’t mind going. I was just worried that me being there might bring up...unpleasant memories.”

Gaku pretends to look confused. “What unpleasant memories?”

He makes it look so obvious that he’s faking it that it brings out an unexpected laughter from Riku. “Alright, alright. I understand,” Riku says with a laugh, “Then, we’ll leave in the evening?”

“Mm. Tsukumo-san is going to call you after work, by the way.”

“Mmph. He texted me about it.”

“Then we’ll leave after you have your call. Wouldn’t want you daydreaming about him during work, after all.”

Riku’s cheeks flush. “Mou, Gaku-san, stop it!” He whacks Gaku on the shoulder. The man merely laughs, even as Riku tackles him and playfully hits his chest to get him to stop, whining all the way,

It’s been a while since he laughed like this. Gaku might as well appreciate it for as long as he can.

The sunset casts long shadows on the ground of the giant tree in the middle of the park. With his legs swinging off the tree branch, Tenn hums idly as he scrolls through his brand new phone. He smiles to himself as he reads the status supposedly uploaded by him the past couple of weeks. A hiatus due to health reasons says “Tenn”. Has it really been a couple of weeks since he was gone?

His pink eyes slide to look at the man standing at the base of the tree. Has it been that long since he was with this person? Strange. He barely remembers anything. The only thing he does remember is waking up extremely thirsty and feeding on a live person provided by Yukio, who had been the first other person he saw that night.

After that, it was just a blur of feeding and sex. The restlessness under his skin is tamed for now, but when he gets home…

“I really want to see Gaku again,” he says out of the blue, “He’s better at sex than you are.”

Yukio smiles at him, unperturbed. “I _did_ offer to fetch him for you. For free, too. I’m not even your chevalier and yet I’m obeying your every whim. Aren’t you feeling a little bit grateful?”

Tenn rolls his eyes. “You’re a warm body to hold. I can’t even feed from you since you’re not mine. If it wasn’t for the sex, you’d be useless, really.”

“You sound so annoyed with me, and yet you keep staying by my side,” Yukio points out, “I wonder why.”

“For the sex,” Tenn repeats flatly, “If I have sex with humans, I’ll end up just killing them and it’s too much of a bother to clean up afterwards. What if I kill a fan of mine?”

Tenn returns to look at his phone, not wanting to say anything else. In truth, it’s not just the sex. For some reason, Tenn’s not in a hurry to leave Yukio - a man he barely knows. He’s convenient for letting out his restless energy and he’s a good substitute for a chevalier, but he’s definitely not worth going into hiding for.

And yet…

He shakes his head. It’s too troublesome to care about. 

“Fans, huh?” he hears Yukio say, “You know, you uploading that status really puts me in quite a predicament. I had plans for this but not _this_ soon. You really do like changing things just to trouble me, don’t you? How are you even going to record and prepare for your new song? Do you even have one in mind?”

“I have Momo-san and Yuki-san.”

“Oh, I’m sure they’ll be _thrilled_ to work with you again after they know your current circumstances,” Yukio says dryly.

“They’ve worked for _that_ person before,” Tenn says simply, “They’ve seen worse, I would say.” He pauses, suddenly standing up on the tree branch. A smile pulls his lips. “Besides, considering who the person you suggested to turn into my chevalier is, it won’t be too much trouble to convince them without needing to...rough them up a little.”

“Oh, and why’s that?” Yukio asks, “Because he’s related to Riku-kun?”

Tenn’s eyes glimmer when he sees a certain man walking along the path, a cellphone pressed against his ear.

“Because he’s my sponsor, silly.”

“You’re working tonight?” Ryo says, “You’re so diligent. Do you want me to drop by and offer you support?”

_“Ryo-san, I’m just gonna wash the glasses or wipe the tables,”_ Riku says with a laugh from the other line, _“You don’t need to come all the way just to see me doing all that. You must be tired from work anyway.”_

“I’ll always make time for Riku,” Ryo argues. He pauses. “Did you sleep well last night?”

_“..Mm. I didn’t have scary dreams this time.”_

Ryo’s eyes soften. “I’m glad.” 

He glances at the sky. The sun is setting earlier today. How odd.

“Are you just about to leave for the bar, then?”

_“Yep! I’m just waiting for Gaku-san to prepare some things and we’ll be off.”_

“Be careful. I heard there are monsters lurking about now.”

“By monsters,” a new voice interrupts, “Surely you didn’t mean me?”

Ryo stills. 

“...Tenn-kun?”

Tenn beams at him, touching his fingers together. “It’s been a while, Tsukumo-san,” he greets cheerfully, “How have you been?”

“Tenn-kun,” Ryo repeats, not quite believing his eyes. “Tenn-kun, where have you _been_? Riku...Riku’s been looking for you.”

_“...Ryo-san? D-did you just...say Tenn-nii’s name?”_ Riku says in a panicked tone. _“Is he there? Is Tenn-nii with you right now?”_

“Oh, we met yesterday, as I’m sure he told you,” Tenn replies, “I could smell him on you. Had a bit of fun with my little brother?”

“I -,” Ryo shakes his head. He puts down his phone - a movement which Tenn follows with his eyes. “Never mind that! Tenn-kun, I don’t know what you’re planning but you need to come back. Riku’s been having nightmares. He hasn’t been well since you’ve disappeared.”

Tenn tilts his head. “Riku is suffering?”

Ryo nods. “That’s why -,” He stops when he sees Tenn’s grin widening.

“Good,” Tenn says in delight, “That’s what I want.”

Taken aback by Tenn’s words, Ryo narrows his eyes, feeling the beginning of anger bubbling under his skin. 

“What are you _talking_ about?” he demands, “How could you say something like -,”

“Tsukumo-san,” Tenn purrs, “Rather than worrying about that, perhaps you should be more aware of your surroundings. After all, it’s as you said.” He smiles coyly. “There are monsters lurking about.”

Ryo barely has time to glance at the man with the glowing red eyes behind him before he is slammed to the ground. His head hit the concrete painfully, instantly causing him to black out.

Meanwhile, Riku’s voice continues to drift out from the phone.

_“Ryo-san? Ryo-san!”_

As soon as Riku hysterically called Gaku to tell him that Ryo had been taken, the two had taken off from the apartment, despite not knowing where to head. When it comes to Tenn and Yukio, there is no time to spare for hesitation. Gaku is on the phone as he runs, struggling to hear the reports spoken to him from the other side. 

“Someone picked up his phone,” Gaku says urgently as he and Riku run through the city, “According to Nikaido, he’s seeing changes in Tsukumo-san’s phone GPS tracking.”

“Tenn-nii must have taken it with him.” Riku frowns, “But why?” 

“...”

Riku turns to look at his chevalier. “Gaku-san?”

“...No, it’s nothing,” Gaku says with a shake of his head. He stops running, with Riku following suit. He frowns at his phone. “Nikaido just sent me a message for the phone’s location. It’s -,”

The pause Gaku gives him is deeply concerning Riku. He has that strange look on his face and the next time he speaks, his voice sounds far away.

“Tsukumo-san...is at my bar.”

Ryo wakes up with someone patting his cheek.

“Wake up, sleeping beauty,” Tenn’s voice drifts into his ear, “I do enjoy doing something naughty with someone who’s asleep to feel it, but this time around, I’d like you to be awake during the entire time.”

“Tenn-kun, you truly have some weird kinks.”

“Oh shut it. Are you jealous I haven’t tried it on you?” Tenn purrs.

“Perhaps,” the second voice responds.

“How cute. I’ll keep it in mind.”

“Found a new boyfriend already, Tenn-kun?” Ryo interrupts dryly, “Yaotome-kun will be disappointed.”

Tenn looks thrilled to be addressed by Ryo. “I’m sure Gaku won’t mind. A threesome is always exciting. Or...a foursome.”

“I’m not interested,” Ryo says immediately, “Unfortunately, I only have eyes for your brother.”

He looks around as he speaks. He knows this place - he’s been here enough times to immediately recognize the jukebox pushed into the corner and the small stage upfront where Tenn frequently sings on. The fact that he’s leaning against a countertop just confirms his intuition. 

He’s at Trigger’s Island. Gaku’s bar. His arms are also tied behind his back, attached to the leg of one of the stools that is built into the floor. 

He realizes belatedly that the smile on Tenn’s face chilled considerably.

“I am aware of that, yes,” Tenn says, “Though I would argue that makes it more desirable. Don’t you think so, Yukio?”

Yukio. So this is the man Riku mentioned. Yukio is sitting on the stool beside Ryo, looking at him considerably.

“I guess,” Yukio says with a shrug, “I don’t normally do it with guys who are older than me, though.”

“You say that, but aren’t you the one who recommended him to me?” Tenn points out.

“That’s because he’s important for other reasons, Tenn-kun,” Yukio replies innocently.

“Of course~” Tenn suddenly grabs Ryo by the chin, forcing the man to look at him. “Say, Tsukumo-san. Have you fucked my brother yet?”

“Why? Are you concerned that I would defile your little brother?” Ryo asks bitingly. 

“Is that a no then?” Tenn guesses, “How cute. I would have figured you would have done it at least once. He’s a cute kid, after all. Won’t you want to hold him in your arms?” He pauses, his grin widening. “Ah, silly me! Of course, you have! You’re Riku’s special friend, aren’t you? Way back then, that is.” He laughs. “How pitiful! He doesn’t even remember those times, though. You must be so hurt.”

Tenn caresses Ryo’s cheek, his eyes glimmering.

“What a shame. Tsukumo-san, you should have done it with him even though he doesn’t remember you the same way anymore,” he says in a pitying voice.

“What does it matter to you?” Ryo snaps.

Beside him, Yukio smirks.

“Because,” Tenn says, his nails now raking red trails down Ryo’s cheek, “After this, I’ll make sure you won’t ever want to be near him ever again.”

Ryo barely has time to register anything else after that - he’s too shocked when Tenn suddenly presses his lips against his own, the kiss lasting for only a few seconds before Tenn moves his mouth elsewhere.

Then, a sharp pain lances through him, eliciting a scream from Ryo’s throat, now torn by Tenn’s fangs.

Gaku’s hand grabs his arm before Riku could reach for the door to the bar.

“Nanase, wait.”

Riku looks at him incredulously. “What do you mean, _wait_? Ryo-san is in there with -,”

“It’s because of that that I -,” Gaku stops himself. He gives Riku a troubled look. “Don’t you remember what Nikaido said? About Sato’s motives?”

Riku furrows his brows in confusion. “That he’s trying to reenact whatever I did in the past? What about it?”

“Well, I…” Gaku trails off. He balls his fists in frustration. Why can’t he say it? Riku should know before he finds out about it in a worse way. “Nanase, I -,”

Riku shrugs his arm away from Gaku’s grip. “We don’t have time for this,” he hisses, “Ryo-san is in danger. We can talk about it later.” He turns his body around and is already pushing the door open. 

“Nanase, wait!”

But Riku is already rushing inside. When Gaku catches up to him, he is greeted by the sight of Riku frozen still, his entire frame beginning to shake. At the same time, Gaku realizes two things.

One: The bar is practically blanketed with the scent of blood.

Two: When he follows Riku’s line of sight, the first person he sees is Ryo. He is slumped on the floor, his wrists bound behind his back. His eyes are closed. His throat is torn to shreds, the horrific wound covered in blood. Someone is straddling him, chest pressed together as the person kisses the unconscious Ryo passionately, blood spilling from between their parted lips.

That someone being Tenn.

“Oh, our guests have arrived,” Yukio drawls out, perching on the countertop, “Just in time too.”

Gaku feels nauseous. The scene unfolding before him feels all too familiar. There is a ghost of pain at the side of his throat as he staggers back. This bar...the smell of blood...someone draining him before forcing blood into him through kissing…

Two years ago, it’s what Riku did to him.

Riku, who is now screaming in rage.

“Get away from Ryo-san!” he screeches hysterically, bolting toward the pair. 

“Nanase, wait -!”

Yukio is quick to block Riku, bringing his hand back and roughly pushing Riku away. The force is enough to send Riku practically flying back and Gaku rushes to brace his fall. He catches Riku by the shoulders just as the force sends them both stumbling to the ground.

“You shouldn’t interrupt, Riku-kun,” Yukio sings, “It’s rude.”

“No, it’s fine,” Tenn says from behind him, “I’m done anyway.”

Riku sees that Tenn’s lips have left Ryo’s. They are stained with blood, its deep red color complementing the vibrant red in Tenn’s eyes. 

“Tenn-nii, _why_?” Riku demands in desperate anger, “If you wanted to hurt me, hurt me alone!”

“But where’s the satisfaction in that?” Tenn asks, “Besides, it won’t be fair, don’t you think? You did the same to me all those years ago.” He looks at Gaku. “Isn’t that right, Gaku?”

Riku stills. He slowly turns towards Gaku, his eyes wide with shock. “G-Gaku-san...what did he mean by that…?”

Gaku is giving him that troubled look again. Riku probably didn’t need to ask. Gaku had tried to warn him earlier but Riku didn’t listen. And now -

Tenn’s smile towards him now has a cruel edge to it. His eyes are filled with manic pleasure.

“Do you remember, Riku? This is where you stole Gaku from me. Now I’m doing the same to your beloved Tsukumo-san.” 

His words send a wave of pain to Riku’s head. He cries out, stumbling to his knees as he clutches his head. His mind is suddenly overwhelmed with images and words he hears himself saying yet he couldn’t remember. But now, the dreams he had in the past suddenly makes sense.

The dreams of Tenn screaming at him, holding an unconscious Gaku in his arms. Riku wearing a cruel expression, matching the one Tenn has now. Yamato’s words from before, of how Sato Yukio is re-enecting Riku’s acts in the past. The knowledge of him and Tenn being on different sides in the past.

He turns to Gaku. 

The lack of memories of how he had turned Gaku into a chevalier. Memories, which are now returning to him at full force.

“G-Gaku-san,” he stammers, “I-I...to you, I -,”

The sound of snapping bones interrupts him. He turns around, gasping when he sees Ryo’s body beginning to jerk.

“It’s starting,” Yukio says with a glee.

The sound of snapping continues for a few seconds, along with Ryo’s uncontrolled jerking. Then, Ryo’s eyes snap open, just as a scream tears out from his throat.

“Ryo-san!” Riku cries out, reaching out for him desperately, “Ryo-sa - grk!”

“Nanase!” Gaku shouts behind him, “Tenn, what are you _doing_?!”

“Yukio,” Tenn says calmly, “Carry Tsukumo-san back home, why don’t you?” He smiles sweetly at Riku. “Or should I call him by his name now? Since he is...my new chevalier now.”

With one single motion, he pulls out his katana, one he had thrusted into Riku’s stomach. Riku had seen something staining the blade just before it went through him.

A red stain coating the blade - one that looks exactly like blood.

Yukio seems relatively unbothered as he gathers Ryo into his arms, who is still letting out silent strangled screams as he thrashes and jerks in Yukio’s hold, still in the midst of his transformation. Riku himself crumples forward, the combined pain from Tenn’s attack and the rush of memories to his head draining him of his strength.

He feels arms catching him along with a desperate call for his name.

Riku barely manages to reach out towards Tenn and Yukio as they walk away with Ryo.

“T-Tenn...nii…” he croaks out. 

With the last of his strength leaving him, he is finally pulled down into the ocean of memories, the dam locking them from Riku’s mind finally broken into pieces.

  
  


**End of Part I**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will most probably be in mid-December onwards when my semester ends and my schedule clears up. Though this might change depending on the circumstances, I hope you can wait patiently till then ;)
> 
> As always, comments are appreciated! ^^


	10. nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Rape/non-con

**Part II**

**_“Tell me, tutor,' I said. 'Is revenge a science, or an art?”_ **

**_― Mark Lawrence, Prince of Thorns_ **

**Chapter eight**

It’s been a full month since then.

Or at least, Ryo thinks it’s been a month. He could not tell the time these days, aside from the light filtering through the curtains and keeping track when the room darkens. He counted 30 times for both things since he woke up in this room, so he guesses it’s been at least a month.

Trapped in this apartment bedroom with only the brick wall outside as his only view, there really isn’t much to do.

Ryo knows he is no longer in Japan at the very least. He heard voices outside his door sometimes and most of them spoke English. That and -

The faces of the men his new King sent in this room had all been foreign-looking. Judging from their accent, Ryo guesses he’s somewhere in America. He’s very far away from home instead. Even the one currently cowering at the corner of the room is a typical blond-haired blue-eyed young man, whose youthful features and choice of fashion hint he might be still in college. 

Ryo tries not to care too much. Not when he’s about to drain this man alive for his blood.

“Don’t struggle,” Ryo says in perfect English, “Or struggle, if you like. The outcome is the same, after all.”

“Come on, man,” the guy begs, “Let’s talk this out. Do you want money? Fame? I can provide both! M-my old man...he’s rich! He owns an empire - grk!”

Ryo could feel the young man trembling under his touch when he grabs him forcefully by the throat, lifting him from the ground. Ryo makes sure his face is as dispassionate as possible - best not to involve emotions for what he is about to do.

“I have no need for all of that,” Ryo answers, “Besides, be grateful that you’re given to me.” He pauses, watching the man’s face twist into a mask of absolute fear. “If you were given to _that_ boy instead, you won’t even have a head on your shoulders.”

Not giving the man any chance to respond, Ryo brings his arm back, slams the man against the wall before going in to sink his fangs into the man’s throat. The man jerks and screams, but his screams quickly die out when Ryo begins to drink his fill.

It is almost laughable at how _natural_ Ryo is at this. Like he is made to be a chiropteran.

But his so-called natural instincts had been forced upon him by none other than his young King. 

When he first woke up a month ago, he had been clear-minded enough to reject the idea of drinking blood. Tenn and Yukio had been impressed, even, when Ryo pushed Tenn’s wrist away from his mouth and stared at the both of them with as much hatred as he could muster.

_“You’re not my King, Tenn-kun,”_ he had spat out, _“I refuse to drink from you.”_

He still remembers the way Tenn’s eyes had gleamed at Ryo’s words.

_“How admirable, Tsukumo-san,”_ he had purred, _“But let me teach you a valuable lesson.”_

His memory was a blur after that. The next time he came to, he was holding a dead body in his arms, the front of his shirt stained with blood and the burn in his throat sated. Perched on the bed, Tenn watched him like a cat, his eyes glowing red in the dark. Ryo instantly knew he had something to do with everything.

The lesson, Ryo quickly learns, is that as a chevalier, he could never hope to disobey his King.

Now, he doesn’t need any prompting to feed. Ryo isn’t a frightened youth anymore - he knows when he needs to play along when he has to. Even if it means turning off his conscience for a few moments. He drinks his fill and drops the now dead man onto the floor before turning away. He licks the traces of blood on his lips, feeling the burn of the glow in his eyes slowly fade away.

Ryo will take an afternoon nap. Maybe when he wakes up, the body will already be disposed of. He doesn’t need to think about that nameless man anymore.

When he looks towards his bed, however, he stops in his tracks. Ryo must have been so engrossed in his feeding that he did not notice the door being opened. Either that, or the boy intentionally masked his presence from his own chevalier.

Wearing a catlike grin on his face, Tenn sits on the bed with one leg crossed over the other. He leans slightly back as he looks at Ryo, both his palms lying flat against the mattress.

Ryo looks around instinctively. Yukio is not around; at least for now. That man usually sticks by Tenn’s side like a stubborn glue despite him not even being Tenn’s true chevalier. 

“If you’re looking for Yukio, he’s downstairs working on something,” Tenn says, “One of his many experiments or whatever. I don’t care to find out.” He eyes the dead man on the floor, his smile widening at the sight of him. “Good boy, Tsukumo-san. You finished all your meals.”

“Tenn-kun, I’m twice your age,” Ryo says with a sigh, “If anything, I should be the one calling you a boy.”

“Oh? Is that a kink of yours?” Tenn asks in delight.

“I wouldn’t know,” Ryo returns with an easy smile, “I haven’t had the chance to try it on Riku yet.”

Instantly, Ryo could see a slight droop at the corner of Tenn’s lips. Ryo knows he had hit a sore spot - he had done it purposely, after all. It’s hard to get a rise out of this version of Tenn, otherwise. He is now unconcerned about everything else, like a switch inside of him had been turned off. The only thing he still reacts strongly to is the mention of his brother.

Who Tenn seems to hate with utmost passion now.

“I see,” Tenn says tightly. He schools his expression back into a smile, though Ryo notices the visible frost that now creeps into the air. Ryo keeps still when Tenn inches closer to him, his fingers grazing across Ryo’s chest. His pinkie finger hooks around one of the buttons, the boy himself lifting his gaze to look at Ryo from underneath his lashes. 

An image of perfect flirtation. If it were anyone else, Ryo doesn’t think they would be able to resist such a look. 

“Say, Tsukumo-san,” Tenn says, “If you like Riku so much, why don’t you go ahead and try it with me?”

Ryo keeps his expression calm. “I don’t understand what you’re trying to say, Tenn-kun.”

Tenn laughs. “You don’t need to play the fool, Tsukumo-san. You know _exactly_ what I mean. We’re twins, Riku and I. We don’t look _exactly_ alike, but you can see it for yourself, can’t you?” Tenn takes Ryo’s hands and place them on Tenn’s cheeks. “We have the same face shape. Our builds are similar. If you close your eyes, you can imagine I’m Riku, if you’d like? Or…”

Tenn leans in, his breath tickling the shell of Ryo’s ear as he whispers.

“I can _sound_ like him too,” he says - only what comes out from his lips isn’t the sound of Tenn’s voice, but instead -

Ryo pushes him away, looking to the side. “Tenn-kun,” he says quietly, “I hope you can refrain from doing that.”

Tenn grins. “Did I hit a nerve, Tsukumo-san? I’m sorry.” But he pulls Ryo towards the bed regardless. Despite his size, Tenn’s grip is strong - proof of his higher place in the hierarchy than Ryo. The man finds himself unable to resist the smaller boy maneuvering him onto the mattress. Tenn now hovers over him, his hands pinning Ryo’s hands to the side. His pink hair covers Ryo’s face a little like a curtain when he leans in.

“We haven’t done it, you know,” Tenn breathes, “And I very much want to with you, Tsukumo-san. Riku’s had a taste of you. I want my share. We’re twins, after all. We share _everything_.”

Ryo swallows. He moves his hands a little to test his strength, but as expected, Tenn’s grip is unrelenting. “What about Yaotome-kun?” 

Tenn tilts his head, as though he just remembered the man. “What _about_ Gaku?”

“You two are together, aren’t you?” Ryo tries, “You love him, don’t you? Wanting to do this with me -”

He gets interrupted by Tenn’s laugh. “That’s such a human sentiment, Tsukumo-san! How cute.” Tenn smiles at his chevalier. “I _do_ love Gaku,” he says, “That’s why if I ever see him again, I’ll try to coax him to join me. And then he can join us.” His grin deepens, the excitement on his face clear. “We can have hot sex together. Yukio can join if he wants. Isn’t it exciting? Monsters making love to one another?”

How different this Tenn is from the Tenn he knew in the past. His new personality somehow reminds Ryo of…

It hurts to say it, but it reminds him of Riku back then. The Riku who had all his memories. The Riku who hurt and expressed his feelings often through physical ways. But even the Riku back then had some sort of humanity left in him. Ryo had seen hesitation. Pain. Envy. All hidden away in that careless smile he used to wear and the tightening of his hold on Ryo when they made love in a lavish hotel room.

The Tenn now...it’s as though he doesn’t feel anything beyond his lust for killing and sex.

“What did Sato Yukio do to you?” Ryo asks quietly, “You’ve changed so much.”

That question ends up flipping a switch inside of Tenn.

Suddenly, there is a hand on Ryo’s throat, squeezing it tightly. His hands, now free, shoot up to claw at Tenn’s hand, his eyes widening in shock. Tenn looks at him coldly, the smile on his face stiff and tight.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Tsukumo-san,” he says with forced cheer, “On the contrary, I feel _much_ better.” 

Tenn’s other hand, in one swift motion, tears down the front of Ryo’s shirt. His sharp nails scratch Ryo’s skin, creating red bloody trails in their wake. Ryo feels a flash of pain and smells a metallic scent. His voice comes out in choked pants as Tenn continues to squeeze his throat tighter, all the while still wearing that smile on his face.

“I’m getting really impatient with you, my chevalier,” Tenn says sweetly, “I’m done putting up pretenses of being nice. I’ll take what I want from you, right here. Right now.”

Ryo decides he doesn’t like the sound of that.

“Tenn-kun, wait -,”

“Nope~” Tenn sings, “Frankly speaking, Tsukumo-san, you’ve made me wait long enough. I didn’t even wait that long to do with Yukio.” He leans down to kiss the side of Ryo’s throat, his smile widening when the man shivers underneath his touch. “I do like a chase, but it’s about time I end this game, Tsukumo-san.”

Ryo is faintly aware of what Tenn could make him do. If he could make Ryo feed mindlessly on people without him ever realizing it, then who knows how far his powers can go? Seemingly reading his mind, Tenn strokes Ryo’s cheek in a tender manner, as if to soothe him.

“Don’t worry, Tsukumo-san. Even if your heart doesn’t want it, I’ll make sure your body desires your King.”

As soon as he says that, Ryo feels heat slowly making its way down his body. Everything suddenly feels hot and his limbs feel as heavy as lead. When Tenn touches him again, this time trailing his fingers down Ryo’s bare chest, it’s difficult to fight back the shiver racking through the man’s body.

_Fight it!,_ he thinks desperately, _Don’t let him -_

Tenn kisses him on the mouth, and it’s like something snaps inside of Ryo. 

It’s like his body is responding on its own. His hand shoots up to bury itself in Tenn’s soft locks as he loses himself into the kiss, sliding his lips against Tenn’s soft ones. He feels the very same lips curve into a smile. Tenn tugs Ryo forward until the man is half-seated on the mattress and moves to straddle the man, placing his knees at each of Ryo’s sides. Tenn deepens the kiss, opening his mouth so Ryo can slide his tongue inside.

Ryo involuntarily shivers when Tenn slides the torn shirt down his shoulders. As though moving on autopilot, he shrugs his shirt off before pushing Tenn down onto the bed. Tenn lets out a breathless laughter as his head lands on the pillows with a soft thud, his hair now fanned out like a soft halo around his head. 

“So eager,” Tenn says, “I told you, didn’t I? You can’t help but be attracted to your King.”

His words break through the haze in Ryo’s mind temporarily, allowing the man to reel back. “Wait,” he groans, “I -...I won’t do it -”

“Tsukumo-san,” Tenn purrs, “Don’t fight it. It’s who we are, Tsukumo-san. You don’t need to let your human sentiments hold you back.” Tugging Ryo down again, he meets Ryo’s gold eyes with brilliant red. Ryo’s face twists in confusion when Tenn bites his bottom lip, his fangs piercing the skin until it bleeds. When Tenn’s hand reaches to hook itself around Ryo’s neck, realization dawns on the man’s face.

“No -”

“ _Yes_ , Tsukumo-san,” Tenn whispers, “Be with your King. Be _mine_.”

He leans forward and kisses Ryo on the mouth, forcing the man’s lip to part before letting the blood in his mouth flow into Ryo’s. Ryo struggles in his hold, but Tenn is relentless. He does not release him, one hand drifting to press lightly against the front of Ryo’s throat. As soon as he feels a slight bop, Tenn breaks off the kiss and waits.

The result is almost instantaneous - the delay being only a few seconds.

Tenn is pushed roughly back down onto the mattress again and there are hands scramble to tear off his clothing. Ryo hovers above him, his eyes glowing bright red in a mad frenzy. His lips are stained with traces of Tenn’s blood. His skin feels hot to the touch and when he leans down to kiss down Tenn’s throat and collarbones, Tenn could feel sharp fangs grazing his skin.

“Good boy,” Tenn praises, his words punctuated with a gasp when Ryo’s teeth scrape Tenn’s nipples. “Now, we can be together.” He lets Ryo - whose mind is now hazy with the compulsion from Tenn’s blood - clumsily and roughly pulls his pants off before wrapping his legs around Ryo’s hips. He eyes the man’s hands as Ryo unbuttons his own pants, his pupils dilating with pleasure the moment he sees Ryo pulling out his erect cock.

“Good boy,” he breathes, “Give it to me, Tsukumo-san.” He caresses Ryo’s cheek, looking at his now frenzied chevalier tenderly. “You don’t have to be gentle at all.”

When Ryo thrusts into him in one swift motion, his teeth sinking into the juncture of Tenn’s throat as he does, Tenn quickly learns that with the right motivations, his new chevalier is so obedient.

When Yukio comes into the room a short while later, intending to collect the dead man’s body, he finds the two of them like that - Tenn trapped under Ryo’s strong grip as the latter relentlessly thrusts into him while Tenn lets out debased sounds of pleasures, all the while rolling his hips against the man. His throat is torn open from Ryo’s rough drinking session, but from Tenn’s dilated pupils and the way his nails rack down Ryo’s back as he urges Ryo to go faster and deeper, Yukio highly doubts he even notices his injury.

Ryo’s eyes are bright red, saliva dripping down his fangs as he growls while fucking Tenn deep into the mattress. Yukio had seen that look before - when Tenn used his blood to put Ryo under a strong compulsion so he can feed willingly. 

When the haze in Ryo’s mind fades away, Yukio doesn’t doubt Ryo would react positively when he learns what he had done.

“How mean, Tenn-kun,” Yukio drawls as he walks towards the corpse. He bends down and carelessly slings the dead man’s body over his shoulders before turning towards the bed. “If I had known you were going to be this eager, I would have abandoned work and joined you.”

“You’re not - ha- ah! - invited this time around, darling,” Tenn gasps, throwing his head back when Ryo hits that particular spot inside of him. “N-next time, maybe!”

Ryo flips Tenn onto his hands and knees and _slams_ inside the boy, earning a high-pitched squeal from Tenn. 

“M-mph! That’s right, g-give it to me, Tsukumo-san~!” he pants.

“Do you mind if this friend and I watch?” Yukio asks.

“Get out before I kill you,” Tenn says with mock sweetness. He buries his face into the pillows and raises his hips further, presenting himself for Ryo to take and take. “I want to - mmph! - spend this time with Tsukumo-san.”

Yukio sighs dramatically. “If you insist.” 

He makes his way to the door, sneaking in one last peak at the pair. Tenn is eager to quickly change positions - possibly to get as much pleasure as he can from his new chevalier before he wakes up from his crazed state - and is now riding Ryo on the mattress. Each time he bounces on the man’s cock, his stomach bulges a little. Realizing Yukio is still watching him, Tenn meets his eyes as he rides Ryo, his hands drifting to fondle his own stiff nipples as he does. Ryo must have already released before this because the boy’s thighs make a sticky sound each time they connect with Ryo’s skin, the boy’s pearly skin now stained with white.

“Tsukumo-san~” he moans, “You feel so good~”

Yukio smirks, shaking his head as he exits the room.

“I wonder how Tsukumo-san will feel once he wakes~” he sings, laughing as he makes his way downstairs, dragging the corpse along.

_Japan_

Gaku hasn’t slept in the master bedroom in his apartment for an entire month now.

There is a new resident in that room - one who remains unconscious for the past month, sleeping his days away. His pale arm lies on the mattress, where a single iv drip is attached at the crook of elbow. There is an iv bag filled with blood hanging nearby; one that Gaku changes every day for a new one. He’s not sure just how much blood the boy on the bed requires, but with the uncertainty hanging in between them, Gaku will not take any chances.

He slumps on the armchair beside the bed, pressing his forehead against his fists, which rest on his knee. He sighs heavily, feeling the fatigue all the way in his bones.

“Nanase, will you remain asleep for a long time?” he whispers.

Riku does not answer. The only indication that he’s even alive on that bed is the rise and fall of his chest as he breathes in and out evenly. His eyelids barely even twitch, if at all. The wound on his stomach has long healed, but his injury lies beyond that.

When Tenn stabbed him that fateful night in Gaku’s bar, the red liquid that stained the blade prior which Gaku thought had been Tenn's blood turned out to be poison. While it did not kill Riku, it had reduced him to this comatose state for the past month. It also gradually slowed down his heartbeat, and Gaku fears if Riku stays in this state for much longer, the possibility of him actually dying…

He shakes his head to chase the thought away. There is only one true way to kill a monarch chiropteran. Right now, Tenn’s blood is the only thing that holds that power. For whatever reason, Tenn did not intend to kill Riku that night. Gaku hopes deep in his heart that it’s because somewhere inside Tenn, he still recognizes Riku as the twin brother he loves, and not the one he wishes to kill.

But another thought puts a damper on that sliver of hope.

When Riku retrieved Gaku from Tenn a few years ago, despite his King telling him otherwise, he had kept Tenn alive. He must have known full well that a mere explosion would not be enough to kill Tenn. Tenn took a long time to heal, but Riku knew he would come back alive sooner or later. Riku had _wanted_ Tenn to be alive, just so he could see what Riku took from him. He had relished in the pain he caused Tenn, and if Yukio intends to recreate the past -

Tenn would want to see Riku in pain in as many ways as possible. 

Gaku clenches his jaw. The next time he sees Sato Yukio, he swears he will -

He thinks he sees something at the corner of his eyes. Just now…

Riku’s fingers had twitched. 

“Nanase…?” Gaku almost didn’t want to believe his eyes. He waits with a baited breath, watching Riku’s still form carefully. No more than a few seconds later, he sees it again.

The twitch in Riku’s fingers. Then, he hears a soft groan coming from the boy, before his eyelids begin to move.

“Nanase!” Gaku rushes to Riku’s side immediately. “Nanase, hey, easy now, easy…”

Riku’s eyes flutter open. For a moment, Gaku could only watch in silence as Riku stares at the ceiling without a word, clearly still disoriented from his long sleep. When his eyes slowly slide to meet Gaku’s, it is then Gaku decides to speak again.

“Nanase, you’re finally awake,” Gaku sighs in relief, “How are you feeling?”

Riku doesn’t answer him right away. Instead, he slowly rises from the bed, the blanket falling away to reveal the clean white oversized shirt Gaku has dressed himself in. His hands lift and reach out towards Gaku as Riku tilts his head to the side.

“Gaku-san,” he says, his voice slightly scratchy from disuse, “Come here, my child.”

...huh?

Gaku must have imagined it. Riku hasn’t called him that term for over a year now since he lost his memories. He must have misheard it surely. Gaku nevertheless obeys, taking Riku’s hands in his. The mattress creaks when Gaku places a knee on it, half climbing the bed and bringing his body closer to Riku’s. 

The boy smiles brightly at him, hooking his arms around Gaku’s shoulders.

“I’m thirsty,” he says, “Will you let me drink from you, my child?”

There it is again. Gaku has a bad feeling about this. Even the air around Riku feels a little different. No, it feels _really_ different.

When Gaku feels a prick on his neck, followed by an explosion of pain, he realizes too late that Riku has already bitten him before Gaku could even reply to him. His body jerks violently at the pain ripping through him, his nails digging at the expanse of Riku’s small back.

The pain of this bite is nothing like the soft stinging prick he felt from Riku’s other bites. He knows that Kings can control whether to make their bite painful or pleasurable, and it is clear which option Riku chose this time around. It feels as though his bones are melting. The pain is drawn out so slowly that it makes Gaku’s head spin and his vision go white.

It’s so painful that Gaku could not even afford to scream.

When the pain abruptly comes to an end and Gaku’s vision clears again, he finds himself lying flat on his back on the bed. Riku is straddling him, his eyes glowing bright blue and his lips stained with blood. He smiles when he sees Gaku looking at him.

“Thank you for the meal, Gaku-san,” he purrs.

Gaku stills. The way that Riku is now speaking to him…

Gaku is hit with a sense of deja vu. One he does _not_ like. His fears are confirmed when Riku’s fingers begin to deftly unbutton Gaku’s pants. Gaku’s hand shoots up to grab Riku’s wrist, meeting Riku’s gaze with alarm.

“What are you doing, Nanase?” he asks in shock.

“I’m hungry still,” Riku says, “But this is a...different kind of hunger, my chevalier. Surely you know what that means?”

“No, wait,” Gaku struggles some more, but Riku merely gives him another look, his eyes glowing brighter than before and suddenly, Gaku’s limbs feel as heavy as lead. He is locked inside his own body, forced to see Riku potentially have his way with him.

This isn’t Riku he knows, he tries to rationalize. But the back of his mind, he knows this isn’t true.

With the return of his memories, Riku’s old personality has also resurfaced, evident from the way Riku leans forward and kisses him lightly on the lips. 

“Don’t worry, Gaku-san,” he coos, “I’ll make you feel real good. As a thank you, for taking care of me this past month.

“N-no…” Gaku tries to say, but like his limbs, his voice would not work.

He watches in horror as Riku lifts his hips and takes off his own pants, along with his underwear, and moves back to straddle Gaku, adjusting his rear at the very spot where Gaku’s crotch is. Gaku could not hold back the hiss when Riku rolls his hips, grinding their groins together. 

“Good child,” Riku praises, “You’ll make love to your King finally, won’t you?” He bares his teeth at Gaku as he grins.

“I’ll erase every single trace of Tenn-nii off you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello! My semester isn't over yet, but I had some extra time off before my finals in two weeks so I thought I'd write a quick update ^^ What a way to start part 2, ay?
> 
> Next update will definitely be during mid-December, so please look forward to it!


	11. ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also known as 
> 
> chapter ten(n)
> 
> tw: violence and rape/non-con

**Chapter ten**

Riku’s memories come to him in a sea of blood.

The time he spent locked inside his own body is filled with voids of darkness and the heavy smell of blood, along with the murmured voices of the people around him. He heard Gaku’s voice the most, and had his gentle touch branded into his skin. He could not move nor speak, and spent days upon days being forced to watch the memories coming to him at full force.

Once the dam in his mind, placed there by his own subconsciousness to protect his heart, broke, there was no stopping the force of the memories that flooded out from it.

It is from those memories that Riku could finally see Iori’s face for the first time since he had forgotten everything. Iori’s features were incredibly delicate - beautiful in a way that is fragile that if Riku so much as presses too hard, he fears that Iori would just fall apart under his touch. But despite the softness of his face, his eyes spoke of years of hardship - hardened and incredibly wary. There was rarely a smile on the boy’s face, but the look he gave Riku in his memories held unwavering loyalty and devotion despite the serious downturn of his lips.

There was another person in his memories. Osaka Sougo. The composer for Tenn’s songs...as well as his own when Riku used to sing. He had one of the gentlest smiles Riku had ever seen, and he could almost feel Sougo’s touch in his hair when the man would reach out to pat him on the head out of fondness. 

His chevaliers. The ones who cared for him. The one Riku had forgotten.

And then, the sea of red began to pull him down under. Riku could no longer hear Gaku’s voice. Could no longer feel the man’s warm touch on his cheek. He could only feel the claws of the creature that lurked beneath the sea of blood, wrapping its arms around Riku’s waist and dragging him downwards.

He heard a new voice, whispered by a voice that was dripping with honeyed venom.

_ “So you’ve finally chosen to remember me?” _

Hair tickled his cheek. Someone turned him around, maneuvering his body until he was no longer pulled by the gravity, but rather pushed down by insistent hands. Insistent hands with claw-like nails that rested against his chest, curling against his skin above the spot where his heart beat.

_ “Finally ready to be King again, Riku?”  _

It’s like looking at the mirror. Riku might have thought he was if it weren’t for the viciousness in the expression the person was directing at him.

The expression that he  _ himself  _ was directing at him.

His other self’s eyes glowed bright blue in the sea of red, his fangs fully barred as his lips curled into a careless smile.

_ “Let me tear out the things you have stubbornly kept in your heart, little King,” _ his other self sneered, before leaning down and  _ sank  _ his teeth into Riku’s throat.

Along with the explosion of pain that came from the bite was a burst of memories. Riku could not afford the scream - could only let himself be pushed further down and down the sea of blood as the memories rushed into his head. Ones he had dreamt of - the painful moments in the laboratory; the horrible sensation of hands roaming down his body; the dogs; Yukio’s cruel smile.

And ones he had never seen before.

Tenn, thirteen again and so, so very small. His slight body hugging Riku tightly as he whispered promises into his ears - one he genuinely thought Kujou would keep, despite Riku’s warning to him to never, ever trust that man. A jab of pain into the side of his throat, quickly followed by a heaviness in his limbs. Him falling to the ground, forced to watch Tenn shrug off his hand to grab Kujou’s outstretched one, leaving Riku to his fate.

And then the emotions he had suppressed and forgotten to protect his own heart, but now forcefully unearthed back to the surface.

The hurt. The betrayal. The anger. The...loss of humanity. Nothing else mattered. If the world was this cruel to him, he would return the favor. If the world demands a beast out of him, then he will become the most terrifying monster they will ever see.

If Tenn-nii wants to hurt him so badly, then Riku will return the pain tenfold.

And what better way to hurt him than taking the one Tenn-nii so dearly loves? 

Gaku’s expression flooded his mind. The sullenness. The wariness. The distance he could not put between himself and Riku because Riku would always force him to close the gap. To allow his King to drape his arms around his neck and nuzzle the skin with his lips before whispering words of love into his ears.

Words of love Riku did not mean, but found enjoyment in the way Gaku squirmed under his touch. His youngest chevalier. His beloved child. 

_ “My King,”  _ his other self purred, embracing him close,  _ “Let us return to your favorite child. And reunite with your darling brother.” _

His heart, one his subconsciousness had worked so hard to patch together and heal from the trauma he had faced, is now shattered to pieces again. Riku reached up and caressed his other self’s cheeks, looking at him with some sort of wonder.

His other self smiled and kissed his palm, before reaching downwards. Riku felt another jab of pain before he realized what his other self did.

In his hand was a piece of flesh, still throbbing and bloody in his hands.

A piece of Riku’s heart, shattered by the forced return of his memories. 

“Gaku-san,” he hears himself purr, his breath ragged as his body bounces up and down from his own ministrations, “Do you feel good, my chevalier?”

Gaku responds by merely gripping Riku’s hips tighter, lifting the boy’s body slightly before  _ slamming  _ him downwards again. Riku doesn’t stop the moan that spills from his lips as Gaku’s cock drives further inside of him, scraping his walls  _ deliciously. _

When was the last time he had felt this good? He really should have made Gaku do this sooner.

“I knew - mmph! - you were always so eager to please me,” Riku gasps out, rolling his hips and changing his angle every so often so Gaku’s cock can hit at all the right places. “My  _ child. _ ”

Gaku doesn’t say anything. He merely flips them over so he could cage Riku underneath him on the bed before he resumes thrusting into the boy again. Riku’s back arches at the full feeling, his legs wrapping around Gaku’s waist instinctively. He sighs and whines at the friction and the drag of his chevalier’s cock, feeling his hole stretched open and latching onto the head of Gaku’s cock a little before Gaku thrusts into him deep. He makes a sound so debased that it would put any whore on porn videos to shame.

All the while Gaku never says anything.

There is no haze in his eyes. Though Riku did compel him to some extent to get him to agree to doing this with him, he did not cloud Gaku’s mind completely. Gaku, for the most part, is very well aware of what he’s doing.

And the conflict that dances in his eyes as he is made to obey his King is so  _ thrilling  _ to look at. 

When Gaku finally climaxes inside of him, Riku squeezes around him, enjoying the warmth that spurts into his hole. He comes not too long later, moaning Gaku’s name as loudly as he can, and smiling coyly when Gaku meets his eyes.

Gaku pulls out from Riku, letting his come drool from Riku’s hole and spill onto the mattress, before he collapses beside him. Riku opens his arms. Driven by instincts, Gaku moves to wrap his arms around his King and for a moment, they lie in bed in silence. Riku spies from over Gaku’s shoulders to look at the red pendant resting on the bedside table.

The sight of it brings back some of the memories from the past year - the months he spent blissfully ignorant, before fate forced back the memories he had repressed and reminded him of why he came to be this way.

Of the kind of monster he really is.

There is a mirror beside the bed. Riku could see his reflection inside of it.

As well as the red hazy figure of his other self, who smirks back at Riku from behind the mirror.

There is a twist of pain in his heart, along with an emotion that feels suspiciously like...regret. He determinedly squashes them down and tosses them away. He would not be held down by such emotions any longer. 

He now knows the absolute truth about himself. There is no turning back anymore.

Riku absently reaches up to touch the side of Gaku’s throat. He could feel the man’s watchful gaze on him.

“You’ll never leave me, right?” he whispers, “Gaku-san?”

“...You know I will never do that,” Gaku says, speaking to him for the first time that night. Riku smiles and nuzzles against Gaku’s chest, closing his eyes as he does.

“Good,” he murmurs, “I would never let you anyway.”

The books he reads are all old notes from his former co-workers he had managed to scavenge through the ruins of the old lab. Before tipping off its location to the government and ultimately having the building destroyed for good, Yukio made sure he took every single useful thing he could find, even if it meant scouring through every burnt and destroyed parts of the building.

If he was still human, the toxic fumes in the air would have been enough to kill him. Yukio thanks his lucky stars he is no longer one, and the only people who could truly kill him are few and far in between.

The one he keeps near is well under his control, even if the King himself isn’t aware of it.

The notes in his hands are nothing he has read, but on days like these when all he could do is wait, he finds an enjoyment in rereading the carefully handwritten observations on thin papers, smiling to himself as he remembers the days he used to take part in the studies written in the book.

Yukio isn’t a fan of the lab’s benefactor Kujou Takamasa, but he is a fan of the man’s objectives. Especially when they give him the chance to do a little more...hands-on experiment on all the monarch chiropterans in the lab.

Queens are rare, Kings are even rarer. To have several Queens and one single King all under the same roof had been too much of an exciting opportunity for Yukio to miss.

He hears footsteps approaching him. For a split second, he thinks it’s Tenn because the smell of him is so strong, but then he smells a stronger scent underneath it and realizes who it really is. He looks up from his notes to find Ryo already seated in front of him at the table, his hands folded in front of him primly. His hair is wet from the shower and he’s wearing clean clothes. Though the expression he gives Yukio is far from friendly, it is not entirely hostile either.

“The door isn’t locked,” he says, “I hope you don’t mind me taking that as a silent agreement that I can go out now.”

Yukio shrugs. “Tenn-kun got what he wanted from you. If anything, he considers you truly one of his own now.” He leans his head against his knuckles, tilting his head slightly. “Tenn-kun is…?”

“Asleep,” Ryo finishes, “I don’t know what time he usually rises in the morning.”

“He wakes and sleeps whenever he pleases,” Yukio answers, “Unless I have something for him to do, he doesn’t care to follow any rules.” He smirks. “How was he? I’m sure even through your haze, you must have felt something being with him.”

Ryo, to his credit, keeps his expression schooled. “I won’t let myself be that vulnerable around him ever again.”

Yukio laughs. “I admire your resolve and your stubbornness. I suppose you two really do fit together.” He leans back against his chair, tipping it back a little as he places his feet on the table. Ryo doesn’t react, merely sitting upright where he is. 

“What is it?” Yukio asks at last, “I can’t imagine you coming out here just to have a casual conversation with me.”

“What did you do to Tenn-kun?” Ryo asks, “He’s changed completely. He reminds me of…” 

“Riku-kun?” Yukio grins, dropping his feet back to the ground, allowing the chair to rock him forward until they are face to face again. “Before he lost his memories, right? That version of Riku-kun, though I could only meet him face-to-face very briefly, is very beautiful, Tsukumo-san.”

Ryo shakes his head. “Even Riku back then felt different. He felt...human. Even if it’s buried deep inside of him, he still had some humanity left in him. The Tenn-kun I’m looking at is...he…” 

“You have the answer already, Tsukumo-san,” Yukio says casually.

Ryo frowns. “What do you mean?”

“Humanity,” Yukio repeats gleefully, “Tenn-kun doesn’t have it anymore.”

Ryo sucks in his breath. “ _ What _ ?”

“Monarch chiropterans are really fascinating creatures, Tsukumo-san. Let me give you a little rundown from what we’ve learnt about them from over the years,” Yukio says idly as he slides the book away. With nothing else left in between them, Yukio leans forward, enjoying the way that for a moment, the corner of Ryo’s eye twitches in distaste. 

“They appear to be the most human out of all the chiropterans,” he begins, “Capable of human speech, intelligence surpassing one by a massive scale if their potential is tapped. Abilities vary depending on their genes, ranging from manipulating one’s voice or appearance, to transforming humans into chiropterans without ever using their blood. Riku-kun, as it turns out, thanks to his years and years of freely feeding from humans after he broke out from the lab, possessed all the ones I’ve mentioned, and perhaps a few more. Though after he lost his memories, I would imagine those powers might have dulled.”

“You were never around him,” Ryo points out, “How do you even know all of this?”

Yukio grins. “I have my sources.” He hums. “Tenn-kun’s powers were initially a few steps down from Riku-kun, since he held back from drinking. After the incident a couple of years ago, that apparently has changed. Now, thanks to my efforts, I would say his powers match Riku-kun’s when he was at his strongest.” He looks at Ryo. “Now, Tsukumo-san, a pop quiz.”

He holds out two fingers.

“Monarch chiropterans, regardless of their strength, share one common ability.” He folds one finger.”From what I’ve told you,” He folds another finger. “- and what happened to Tenn-kun, can you guess what this ability is?”

Ryo pauses, letting Yukio’s words sink in. When it finally hits him, he looks up just as Yukio’s lips stretch wider.

“They can...get rid of their own humanity?”

“Bingo! Correct on your first try, bravo, Tsukumo-san!” Yukio claps his hands. “Think of it like a switch. I'm surprised Riku-kun kept his on despite everything that happened to him.” He smiles. “Monarch chiropterans are the most human out of their kind. But don’t forget, Tsukumo-san. No matter how human we look, we are monsters in the end. And Kings and Queens, for whatever reason they desire…”

Yukio leans back, gracing Ryo with a red-eyed look of glee.

“They can stop becoming human entirely.”

_ Months before _

  
  


Hidden away in one of Japan’s many countryside, lay an inconspicuous villa. There were rumors that the villa belonged to a young gentleman who escaped the bustling city life to inherit his parents’ old residence. He did not make many public appearances but the few times he did, he gave passerbys a pleasant smile and never forgot his polite greetings.

No one knew of the basement that villa had, which housed both a messy research space, and a young man chained to the wall. No one knew of the screams that would bounce of those walls as the young man was subjected through various forms of torture - from having his nails ripped off, to the searing hot iron branded onto his skin.

The young man’s wounds would heal almost instantly, but during the first week, the young man was barely given enough substance for him to live, hence slowly, his healing abilities degenerated.

Perhaps the greatest form of torture were the words of the villa’s owner, who would drill them into the young man’s head over and over again as he tortured his captive.

The owner called himself Yukio.

“Come now, Tenn-kun,” Yukio purred, “You don’t need to be stubborn. Let yourself accept the truth I’m giving you.”

Tenn struggled against his bindings. He’s exhausted and in so much pain - the cuts on his skin and flesh were healing slowly now due to his lack of feeding. But the fire in his eyes refused to dull as he glared at Yukio with as much hatred as he could muster.

“I won’t accept such lies,” Tenn hissed, “You can torture me as much as you want. I won’t give in.”

Yukio grinned, ugly and cruel.

“It’s fine. You’ll quickly learn that I am a very  _ patient  _ man,” Yukio crooned before bringing down the knife in his hand, slicing a ragged line across Tenn’s chest. Tenn screamed as blood splattered from his wound, before he slumped forward, the rise and fall of his chest quick and harsh.

And so, the tortures went on.

Yukio, as it turned out, really was a patient man.

He did his tortures with a smile on his face, no matter how harsh the insults Tenn threw at him or how gruesome the young King’s threats became. He did his work with a clean precision in a way that was terrifying. In a way that never failed to draw a blood-curdling scream from the fair-haired King chained to the walls.

They never stayed at one place for too long, Yukio knew Tenn’s companions would be looking for him. While Tenn was unconscious, he would carry him to another one of his many hideouts across Japan every now and then before continuing on his work. It was tiresome, but the trip also wore Tenn out physically and mentally, making it easier to break him.

By the middle of the second week, Tenn’s mind had cracked at last.

Combined with the lack of feeding and the continuous words, Tenn’s body began to break along with his mind. He shook and trembled and flinched at the mere sound of Yukio’s footsteps, and when Yukio tore off his fingernails one by one that day, the first plea escaped his lips.

“S-stop…” Tenn begged, “Please...I c-can’t…”

“It really isn’t my fault, Tenn-kun,” Yukio said, smiling as another scream bounced off the walls when he ripped off Tenn’s middle finger nail. He tossed it to the side, already moving on to the next finger. “All these terrible things that happened to you...I told you, didn’t I? You can only blame one person.”

“Riku...would…never -” Tenn howled in pain when the next fingernail was torn off. 

“He  _ would _ ,” Yukio insisted, “Did you forget everything he did to you? I am just one of the many consequences of his actions. One  _ you  _ had to suffer on his behalf.” This time, Yukio broke Tenn’s wrist in one clean motion, basking in the choked scream the boy gave him in return. “It’s all your brother’s fault, Tenn-kun. It’s in his nature to trouble you. To oppose you. To make you  _ suffer. _ ”

Yukio was especially relentless that day. He offered Tenn no reprieve - inflicting wound after wound, pain after pain without a single break. By the time he did stop, Tenn was left a trembling mess against the wall, his voice hoarse from all the screaming. His shirt is bloodied and torn, just as the tips of his fingers and the mangled mess of his broken limbs. When Yukio kneeled in front of him and grabbed Tenn by the chin, the King looked back at him with glassy eyes, his cheek streaked with tears and blood.

Yukio smiled. Perfect.

“You poor thing,” he cooed, “You must be in so much pain. Do you know whose fault is it?”

The moment he asked the question, it’s as though a switch had been flipped. Tenn curled his teeth into a snarl and glared at Yukio, but the moment Tenn spoke, Yukio knew the glare wasn’t meant for him.

“Riku,” Tenn snarled, “It’s all him. It’s because...of him...I’m...I’m like this. I want to...I want to…”

“To what, darling?” Yukio asked.

The chain rattled as Tenn lurched forward, snapping his teeth at Yukio. It’s as though the pain in his body was momentarily forgotten, in favor of his newfound hatred for his own little brother.

“I want to  _ kill  _ him,” Tenn vowed viciously.

This time, Yukio’s smile showed his fangs. “Good, Tenn-kun. But for you to do that, you need to do one more thing. You didn’t do it the last time, so you were left vulnerable even after closing your heart. Riku-kun never did it so he hesitated at the last moment. You won’t make that same mistake, Tenn-kun. To kill your brother, to make yourself worthy as King of the chiropterans…” Yukio grinned. “You know what you must do, don’t you?”

His nails dig into Tenn’s cheek, drawing blood. Yukio’s eyes shone red, matching the scarlet hue of Tenn’s own eyes.

“Switch it off, Tenn-kun,” he whispered out his order, “Switch your humanity off. Let go of things such as guilt and human conscience. A King of monsters has no need for that.” 

He smiled gently. “Switch it off, Tenn-kun. All this pain. All this suffering. Will soon disappear. When you wake up, you will see the world anew.”

Tenn stared at him for a few seconds. Although Tenn did not say a word, Yukio could see the change beginning inside of him. Could detect the turning of gears in his heart. The way the light was slowly disappearing from his eyes as he pulled himself inwards. As Tenn pulled all human emotions into the deepest corners of his heart and sealed the lid shut.

A year ago, to fight Riku, Tenn had temporarily sealed his heart.

This time, as Tenn began to drift off into unconsciousness, he pulled his humanity down under with him. 

_ Seven years ago _

When the alarms blared followed by a panicked announcement of an escaped King, Yukio had a feeling where the young boy would head first.

As usual, his instincts did not disappoint him. Yukio did not even have the chance to run.

Riku stood at the door to his office, the door already torn off its hinges. The young teenager was still in his white gown-like uniform, though the fabric was now splattered with blood. It contrasted greatly with the blue in the boy’s eyes, but matched the smile on the boy’s lips.

“Sato-sensei,” Riku sang, “I found you.”

“Riku-kun,” Yukio answered tightly, “How did you manage to get out?”

“Scientist-san was kind enough to give him his keys,” Riku replied. Gone was the tremor in his voice and the glassy look of despair in his eyes. Now, he could see something else entirely.

Madness.

“Well, I guess he didn't have much of a choice,” Riku admitted, “A dead body couldn’t protest anything, now can it?”

Yukio’s hand reached into his pocket, closing around the syringe he always kept close to himself. It contained a drug that can subdue any chiropteran. He just needed to be quick enough to - 

The moment he lifted his hand out from his pocket, he felt a flash of pain. He watched with some sort of wonder as blood splattered all around him, wondering where it came from in the first place. When he looked down, he finally found his answer.

His hand was on the floor, the shock running through his nerves making it twitch still. Next to it was the syringe. His own wrist was now a bloody stump. 

The pain came crashing down on him, causing him to buckle onto the ground, screaming as he did.

“Did that hurt, Sato-sensei?” Riku cooed, “I was so  _ excited  _ to see you, I forgot to be gentle. Don’t worry, though.” 

Yukio choked when Riku’s fingers closed around his neck. Despite Riku’s slender build, the boy easily lifted him off the ground by the throat, as though he was merely a ragdoll. Riku’s plaything.

“Out of all the people I plan to visit after this, I will make sure to treat you in the most  _ special _ way.After all, you could have gone home today for the holiday. But you’re so dedicated to your work, I feel like I must reward you somehow.” Riku said sweetly, fluttering his eyelashes, “Happy New Year, Sato-sensei.”

The world exploded in a sea of red when Riku plunged his other hand into Yukio’s chest, crushing his heart in the process.

If it weren’t for the pain that overpowered his senses, Yukio might have thought that it matched the color of Riku’s hair.

And perhaps just as beautiful.

_ Present day _

The surprised look on Ryo’s face by the time Yukio finishes his tale is funny. He might have laughed, if he isn’t so eager to know what comes out from the man’s lips next.

“Riku....he…” Ryo struggles, “He killed you that night.”

“Indeed he did,” Yukio says, “Or at least, I was  _ meant  _ to die that night. But as you can see...I didn’t.”

“How…?”

Yukio smiles. “Let’s just say, I had a guardian angel who also took the opportunity to escape the lab.”

A guardian angel he no longer needed.

“But that’s a story for another day,” he says breezily, “Do you have any further questions, Tsukumo-san? If not, I would rather if you go wait in your room. Tenn-kun is still in there, isn’t he? I’m sure you’ll gain your King’s favor more and more if your face is the first thing he sees when he wakes up.”

“...I have one more question.”

“Hm?”

Ryo looks at him with narrowed eyes. “I am unclear of one thing. Why did you have Tenn-kun turn off his humanity? If your revenge is for Riku, why take Tenn-kun? Why not target the King who was supposed to kill you that night?”

Yukio seems to have anticipated this question. He rises from his chair before spreading open his arms, the curve of his lips gaining an excited edge to it.

“That’s simple, Tsukumo-san,” he says, “I’m doing what Kujou-san tried but ultimately failed to do.”

He laughs.

“I’m restarting the cycle of hatred between the two Kings of monsters.”

  
  
  



	12. eleven

**Chapter eleven**

The first to visit after Riku’s awakening is Yamato.

He arrives a few days later and walks into the living room to see Riku sleeping against Gaku’s shoulders, his lips lightly stained with blood. Gaku’s throat is still healing, specks of blood visible on his skin. He places a finger to his lips when he sees Yamato coming in. 

“Did I come at a bad time?” Yamato asks quietly.

“He just finished feeding. After hibernation, they tend to be hungrier and more restless than usual,” Gaku explains just as quietly.

Yamato cocks an eyebrow. “I can guess how Riku will handle his thirst, but how are you handling his restlessness?”

Gaku gestures to the torn up dolls scattered around the floor. Most of their limbs have been torn off or stretched thin beyond recognition. He lifts one at his feet, showing Yamato the scattered remains of what appears to be a doll’s head. It makes for a gruesome sight.

Yamato winces. “Didn’t you say he used to do this? So...is it true? Did his memories return?”

“All of it,” Gaku confirms.

“...how is he, then?”

“He…” Gaku sighs. “He reverts back to his old self whenever his emotions are heightened, like when he’s especially anxious. But the changes so far have been quite erratic. He spent most of today in his normal behavior.”

“At this point, we don’t even know if his personality before his memory loss had been his real one all along,” Yamato points out.

Gaku is tempted to agree. But he also knows that aside from that one instance after Riku woke up, Riku hasn’t tried to touch him inappropriately again. The occasional use of pet names is still present and sometimes Riku would bite him hard enough to really hurt, but during his calmer periods, Riku is mostly quiet and keeps to himself. He would spend hours and hours just tearing dolls apart before his thirst would be triggered again and a fragment of his old self would resurface once more.

Gaku wonders how Riku will react when he sees his own brother. He wonders if Tenn will cause unwanted emotions to heighten. He wonders if Ryo is now sharing the same fate as Gaku once did - forced to serve someone who is determined to kill the one he loves.

He couldn’t help but to wonder if, like Tenn had in the past, Riku will now no longer hesitate to put Ryo in harm’s way if his feelings towards his brother have changed.

“Any progress?” Gaku asks, looking at Yamato.

“We know that they left the country, but that Sato must have known we were tracking him.” Yamato crosses his arms, looking vaguely irritated. “He masked his tracks, but Nagi and I are working on clearing it. The Schiffs are also keeping track of any activities that might relate back to Kujou, since he did mention a month ago he was planning to come back as a singer.”

That earns a sigh from Gaku. He has then lost control of his social media accounts after that tweet from Tenn - the boy had changed all the login details - and Tenn is still refusing contact with his agency. Needless to say, Yaotome Sousuke is less than pleased. The only thing that is keeping him from cancelling Tenn’s contract at this point is Yuki’s and Momo’s intervention, who still have good faith in Tenn.

A faith that Gaku thinks that is too generous of them at this point.

“Hey, cheer up,” Yamato says, “We have a clue this time around. Sato said he wants to recreate what Riku did in the past. If he’s doing it exactly how Riku did, then his next plan is probably to -”

“Hold a concert,” Gaku finishes, “That’s the most likely possibility, but we also shouldn’t underestimate him. Besides, won’t it be too easy? What’s his motive at this point? It would be too easy to stop him if we can predict his movements.”

“Well, to be fair, until we figure out where he is, we’re still stuck at a standstill,” Yamato sighs, sinking into the sofa, “That man is so slippery. He also worked for Kujou Takamasa in the past, so he’s very used to people tailing him.”

“I guess Kujou didn’t trust his own employers,” Gaku says dryly. 

“He sent me and Nagi to exterminate those who may carry a risk to his chiropteran projects. What do you think?” Yamato says, “Formally, he answered to a council of people who oversaw his lab projects. I’m not sure if Riku or Tenn told you this but, on the surface, Kujou continued the task he inherited from his former superior. But the lab also carried out...his  _ personal  _ projects. He had to ensure none of his secrets were leaked.”

“And this council of people?” Gaku asks, “What happened to them?”

“Dead,” comes the prompt answer, “When the Schiffs escaped and destroyed the lab, fearing that the council will hold the knowledge of his main project against him, Kujou had the newly introduced Corpse Corps exterminate them.”

_ “Jesus.” _

“Few survived Kujou Takamasa’s attempt to keep his secrets. Those who do are still living low and are mostly paranoid - for the right reasons.”

Gaku lets out a breath, mulling over the words. “What about Sato? Where does he fit in all of this?”

Yamato frowns. “Sato was one of the scientists deeply involved in Kujou’s personal projects, and if it weren’t from the fact that everyone thought he died during Riku’s escape, he would have been one of the first in Kujou’s extermination list. Though Nagi and I didn’t know about Riku’s existence nor much details of his personal projects in general, so we didn’t know if he was personally keeping track of Riku’s whereabouts after his escape.”

He glances at Riku. “Tenn and Kujou mostly stayed in Japan where Riku didn’t make a name for himself until much later, so he never came up in the conversation.” 

“I see… That would make sense.” 

Yamato is about to continue when Riku makes a soft sound in his sleep. His eyes slowly flutter open, looking blankly at the scene in front of him for a split second before he looks up to look at Gaku. 

“Gaku-san…?” he says hoarsely, “When did I fall asleep?”

“Not too long ago,” Gaku murmurs, “You can go back to sleep if you want.”

Riku nuzzles back against Gaku’s shoulder, seemingly unaware - or uncaring - of Yamato’s presence. His eyes are already closing again. 

“Hm…” Riku sighs. “Good...night, Gaku-san.”

“Mm. Have a good rest, Nanase.”

Yamato watches the scene that unfolds in front of him in silence, raising a single eyebrow when he directs his attention onto Gaku again. 

“He’s clingier than before,” Yamato remarks, “Is that his old personality resurfacing?”

Gaku sighs, though careful not to jostle the sleeping Riku. “Who knows at this point?” He shakes his head, an indication that he wants to change the subject. “In any case, once Nanase is steadier on his feet, I’ll join you in the investigation. I probably need to settle some things in case we need to leave again.”

“That would be a good idea. Settle some loose ends.” Yamato looks at Riku again. “Are you sure he’ll be alright if I bring the others over? If he really did recover his memories...I can’t really imagine how he’ll view the Schiffs.”

“I guess there’s only one way to find out,” Gaku says, “Bring them over the next time you come. Like it or not, in order to find Tenn, we’ll have to work together.”

“I just don’t want to be responsible for any slaughter,” Yamato warns.

“It won’t come to that,” Gaku promises, “If anything happens...well, he has me to solve that problem.”

Yamato frowns at Gaku’s words. “I’m not sure if I like the sound of that, Yaotome.”

Gaku smiles thinly. “Just trust me on this one, Nikaido.”

One of his hands gently pat Riku’s hair, as if to soothe the boy further into unconsciousness.

The next day, true to his word, Yamato sends Haruka and Mitsuki to the apartment to report to Gaku for any developments. As Mitsuki and Gaku discuss details in the kitchen, Riku finds himself sitting alone with Haruka in the living room. Surrounding him are new dolls Gaku had bought for him, most of them already torn into pieces.

Riku focuses all his restlessness into the current doll in his hands, already pulling one of its limbs away from its seams. He is aware of Haruka’s intent gaze on him but neither of them say a word.

It’s fine. He won’t know what to say to him anyway.

After the return of his memories, he is well aware of what he did to the Schiffs in the past. In their moments of desperation, instead of telling them the truth right away, he had made it a point and to antagonize his brother further by killing one of their companions by allowing him to drink Riku’s blood, despite knowing that Riku’s blood would kill them due to Tenn’s blood component running through the Schiff’s veins.

He could sense the shadow of his other self standing behind the sofa. He could imagine the smirk on the other self’s face, taunting him of reality. 

_ “Have you finally decided to become a King?” _ it once asked him. And in his moment of weakness, he had allowed his other self to become him - to turn Riku into what he was before his memory loss. He had forced Gaku to submit to him and it had taken a good while to even see the wrongness in his actions.

The return of his memories caused Riku to remember what the kind of person he was - and possibly is - and yet it’s a person Riku isn’t sure he recognizes.

_ “No, silly,” _ his other self croons behind him, wrapping his arms around Riku’s shoulder,  _ “You recognize me. You’re just _ **_afraid_ ** _ to acknowledge me.” _

Riku tears off the arm decisively before he chucks the broken piece away. Not even once he looks up from the doll in his hands.

“You’re not going to talk to me, are you?” 

Haruka’s voice very nearly startles him. It does make him pause but only for half a second before Riku resumes the task at hand. It’s a pause that does not go unnoticed by the Schiff. He hears a long suffering sigh.

“I heard from Nikaido-san that your memories returned,” Haruka says, “Tell me, does that mean you remember what happened to the Schiff?”

Riku does not answer. Behind him, his other self smiles at the conflict dancing in his heart. 

“I was brought here to see how you would handle seeing us now that you remember what you used to be,” Haruka says, “I suppose I should consider this a mission accomplished since you didn’t try to kill me.”

Riku could not tell if Haruka was mocking or sneering at him. Riku doesn’t know how he himself should react. Back then, he barely cared about the Schiff. They were merely stepping stones towards antagonizing his brother. They weren’t allies, but they weren’t necessarily a hindrance either.

But things are different now. No matter how brief it had been, he had created new memories with the Schiff, even if he could feel that they treated him with wariness. It was a wariness Riku didn’t fully understand then, but now he does.

Now, he’s a standstill.

How should he feel about the people around him now? 

“This is useless,” Haruka sighs, “I’m going to go see how Mitsuki-san is doing. You go ahead and murder those dolls all you like.”

Riku doesn’t look up once. He listens to Haruka’s footsteps fading away, before a new one comes closer. He could already tell who it is without even looking at the person’s face.

His other self makes a sound of delight before he feels a shudder run through him when he and his other self becomes one person again. He looks up and sees Gaku is now sitting next to him. 

“Isumi wanted to talk to you, you know,” Gaku says.

Riku blinks. “What is there to talk about?”

Gaku has a troubled look on his face that disappears just as quickly as it comes. He simply sighs and allows Riku to embrace him, the doll in Riku’s hands completely forgotten. 

“Do you need to feed again?” Gaku asks quietly, “Your thirst is still not manageable yet?”

Riku shakes his head. “It’s not that,” he murmurs, “I just want to hold you for a moment. Hold still, Gaku-san.”

_ “Hold still, my beloved child,” _ his other self resounds in his mind. Unlike before, Riku does not say those words out loud. 

Hours pass. Mitsuki has long left and is now replaced with Yamato. Haruka still lingers around, though he isn’t really talking to Riku. Riku doesn’t make any effort towards a conversation either.

To be honest, he doesn’t know why people keep coming to this apartment. Why does Haruka even bother staying? 

Gaku is on the phone again. From where Riku is sitting, he could hear unfamiliar voices from the other line - angry, hushed ones that Gaku responds with a sigh, before there is a sound of the phone being passed to someone else and a different voice begins to speak.

Yuki’s.

Before his awakening, Riku had completely forgotten Yuki and Momo, and even though they were reunited, he did not know what they meant to him. Being told that they used to manage him as an idol meant nothing beyond surface value. Now, he remembers everything. He wonders if they were to meet again, Riku would see them in a different light as well.

_ “Is there anything we can do to help, Yaotome-kun?”  _ Yuki says from the other line.

“Nothing that you should risk your life for, Yuki-san,” Gaku says tiredly, “It’s...It’s complicated. Tell my old man that if he’s going to cancel Tenn’s contract, then so be it.”

_ “It’s true that the lack of communication Tenn-kun is giving us frustrates him, but he’s just as worried about him as you are. He’s quite fond of him, though he won’t show it.” _

“...I know. I’ll call you again later. Take care, Yuki-san.”

_ “You too, Yaotome-kun.” _

Riku looks away as soon as he hears Gaku hang up, pretending to look at the TV instead. There is nothing interesting airing. He mindlessly plays with the remains of the doll in his hand - one that only has its head and left foot left. When he feels the sofa dip, he turns his head, nearly expecting to see Gaku sitting next to him if it weren’t for the difference in presence.

And the alluring smell of human blood.

From the corner of his eyes, Riku can see his other self peering at Yamato in interest, his fangs already peeking out from between his lips. He sniffs the man’s throat for a second before he breaks into a wide grin, floating around like a ghost around Yamato before embracing him from behind.

Two years ago, it would have been Riku doing that - toying with any interesting looking human he sees. 

“This is quite a gruesome sight you made out of this living room,” Yamato sighs, “What did these dolls ever do to you?”

“I...It became a habit,” Riku says softly, “In the past, Iori used to buy me dolls to tame my restlessness or else I would go for more… living targets.”

His other self’s eyes glimmer in interest. Riku decides to pretend to not see it. 

“Iori, huh?” Yamato hums. “That’s a name I haven’t heard you mention in a long time. Finally remembered your old chevalier?”

Riku nods.

“Along with everyone else?”

Another nod.

“I see. Though from what I heard, you and Isumi haven’t been talking since he got here. I sent him here so you could do that, ya know? While Yaotome is off doing stuff. I imagine your overprotective chevalier won’t let you be involved just yet.”

Riku makes a dissatisfied sound at that. “He’s always finding excuses. He can’t keep me out of the loop forever.” He loosens his grip on the disfigured doll in his hands. “As for Isumi-san...what am I supposed to say to him? We weren’t comrades before.”

“So weren’t we,” Yamato points out, “In fact, we once stood on opposite sides, you and I. Yet, we’re talking normally, aren’t we?”

“You’re different,” Riku mumbles, “I killed his friend.”

“So is it guilt that’s holding you back?”

“I don’t know, alright?” Riku says with some irritation, turning to glare at Yamato, “I’m in this weird spot right now. I recovered all my memories - I remembered what I did and why I did them. And yet my view on people is now mixed with the memories I’ve made for the past half year when I didn’t have my memories. I don’t know how to view the people around me anymore. I don’t even know how they’ll look at me either.”

Yamato looks at him calmly during his outburst. Riku suddenly feels strangely drained, collapsing against the sofa backrest. His other self drifts towards him, moving his hand to lovingly stroke his hair. 

“I can’t speak for anyone else,” Yamato says, “But I  _ can  _ tell that at least for me, I’ve learnt to move on from the events that happened a couple of years ago. I’m happier now, Riku,” he says with a slight smile, “And if it’s guilt that’s truly keeping you up at night then...why don’t you begin with an apology to start things over?”

Riku looks at him tiredly. “To you?”

“You didn’t do anything to me,” Yamato says with a shrug, “I meant to Isumi and the rest. The people you were involved with. Despite your memories returning, do you still view them with animosity? With indifference?”

Riku considers his words for a moment before he shakes his head. Yamato smiles at the gesture.

“Then an apology is a good start. I’m not sure, but who knows? Their feelings towards you must have changed one way or the other. You won’t know until you find out.” Yamato surprises Riku by ruffling his hair like a child, grinning when Riku looks at him. “I’ve only had the chance to talk to you properly for the past six months and to be honest, now that I had the chance to stand on the same side with you, I look at you like a little brother.”

The smile on his face softens.

“You’re very lucky, Riku. You have people who genuinely love you. Back then -” He points to the red pendant around Riku’s neck. “And now.” He jerks his head towards Gaku, who is back on the phone again. “I know things are difficult to process right now, but have a little faith in those around you. Perhaps you didn’t have that privilege back then...but you do now.”

Beside Riku, he could see his other self standing still, looking at Yamato with mild, but genuine interest.

That’s right. Back then...Riku had been extremely wary of trusting those around him for valid reasons. People were either with him, or they were nothing else. Outside his chevaliers and very, very few humans, people were either food.

Or nothing.

Now, things are different. Even with the memories of his past actions, could Riku dare to, as Yamato says, have faith in those around him?

Something is pinching his cheek, bringing him back to reality.

“You don’t look good with a frown on your face,” Yamato smirks, “I know you stay eternally young and all, but why waste muscles frowning when you can be smiling?”

“You’re a very touchy person, aren’t you?” Riku says with slight irritation, swatting Yamato’s hand away. 

“You’re just too cute, little King.” Yamato raises his hands in defense when Riku glares at him from underneath his lashes. “Alright, alright. I’ll make my leave. I probably need to talk to Yaotome about something anyway.”

He gets up from the sofa but just before Yamato disappears into the kitchen, he hears Riku speak.

“Thank you,” Riku says softly. His lips lift slightly into a smile. “At least you can rest assured I won’t drink from you anytime soon,” he teases.

Yamato chuckles nervously. “I’ll hold you up to that promise.”. 

Before long, night falls. Yamato and Haruka end up staying almost the entire day at the apartment, discussing one thing over the other. From the snatches of conversations Riku overheard, it seems that Nagi is close to finding out where Sato could have gone and Minami and Mitsuki seem to finally uncover things on their end as well.

Soon, Riku imagines that he would be able to play his part as well. His other self is now lying his head on his lap, looking up at him with an excited grin.

_ “Soon, we’ll reunite with our dearest brother,” _ the other him singsongs. 

Dearest brother. Tenn. Truth to be told, Riku isn’t sure how he’ll react seeing him. It leaves a strange mixture of both ache and emptiness in his chest at the mention of him.

There is a blood bag thrusted towards him. 

Riku looks up with some surprise. Haruka is still holding out the blood bag towards him, his eyebrow raised. He is drinking from his own blood bag, sucking on the straw that connects to it like the blood bag is a juice box.

“Yaotome-san said you still need to feed a lot,” he says, “He’s still deep in work so he can’t be your walking juice box right now. Go drink.”

“Where did you get this?” Riku asks.

“Your fridge. It’s from the supplies from when you were still asleep. I would imagine that since you’ve been feeding directly from that chevalier of yours, you won’t need it as much.”

Haruka is right about that. Riku didn’t even notice the blood bags in the fridge. He takes the blood bag held out to him and murmurs his thanks. He smiles a little when he notices that it’s already attached with a small straw. He slips it past his lips and begins to drink, moving a little to let Haruka sit next to him.

For a moment, they sit and drink in silence. Riku’s other self looks at Haruka curiously with his head propped on both hands, lying on his stomach on the floor while swinging his legs in the air. He seems like a child.

Back then, Riku probably did act a lot like a child, didn’t he?

“I heard that you have more restless energy than usual?” Haruka asks, effectively breaking the silence, “I guess that would explain the dolls. How long does this last?”

“I should be fine in a week or so,” Riku answers.

Haruka hums. “In the past, how did you handle it?” 

“Iori gives me stuff to destroy. But...I guess the most ideal way to get rid of it is...to let me kill things.”

In front of him, his other self smiles prettily.

“Have you done it?” Haruka asks idly.

Riku lets out a breath. “I have.”

“I see.”

There are more sucking sounds before Haruka chucks the now empty blood bag onto the nearest bin. He turns to look at Riku.

“Well, we can’t have you do that when we’re looking for your brother,” Haruka says, “So, if you’re so restless, you won’t have any excuse to slack off in your studies.”

Riku frowns. “My studies?”

“Ever since Kujou-san went missing, you haven’t been able to continue your studies - one which  _ you  _ initially wanted, by the way. I have a lot of unused workbooks you should definitely get to.”

“I...I see.” Riku stares at Haruka for a moment. “Are you sure, though?”

Haruka raises an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“I remember everything,” Riku says, “I can no longer pretend to be ignorant of what I did to your companions in the past. Are you sure you want to be around me?”

Now, it’s Haruka’s turn to stare at him. It doesn’t take long before the boy sighs and leans further against the sofa.

“It’s been two years since then,” he says quietly, “Hating you now won’t change the past. If I really did hate you, I would have never agreed to be around you even before you gained your memories again. Don’t get me wrong, though.” He looks at Riku. “The pain is still there. I’ve spent perhaps my whole life with the people I’ve lost. The pain won’t disappear in just a couple of years.”

He reaches under his shirt and pulls out a similar blood crystal pendant, showing it to Riku.

“The pain is still there,” Haruka repeats, “And I don’t know whether I’ve forgiven you for causing it.”

Riku keeps his expression blank. His other self merely looks at Haruka with a glint in his eyes, coldly interested in what the boy has to say.

“But…” Haruka surprises Riku again by smiling a little, “I’ve learnt to move past it. Little by little, I’m moving forward. And you should too, Nanase.”

“Isumi-san…”

He unconsciously feels for the shape of his pendant under his shirt, searching for the familiar cool surface of Iori’s blood crystal. His other self wraps his arms around his shoulders from behind, kissing his cheek. One of his hands move to cover Riku’s, to touch the blood crystal of their former chevalier.

“I see,” Riku whispers, “I...Thank you, Isumi-san.”

Haruka smirks at him. “You can thank me back by studying hard the next time I give you work.”

Riku cracks a smile and for the first time since he woke up, it feels genuine.

Haruka and Yamato leave a while later, finally leaving Riku and Gaku alone in the apartment once more. Riku looks up just in time to see Gaku approaching him. He lifts his arms and Gaku takes this as a cue to ready his own arms.

“Are you sleepy?” he asks Riku, “Should I take you to bed?”

“Mm,” Riku says, “I want to sleep with you tonight, Gaku-san.”

Though the change had been miniscule, Riku could see the slight tension now running through Gaku’s body.

“Just lie beside me,” Riku adds, “I won’t do anything else.”

Gaku pauses. “Even if you do...I wouldn’t be able to fight it if you really wanted to.”

“I don’t,” Riku says, “Not...not anymore.” He lifts his arms again. “I still want to hold you, though. You’re my chevalier. Your presence...comforts me.” 

That was the main reason why he enjoyed touching his chevaliers in the past. Sure, pleasure had played a major role in it, but even back then - or  _ especially  _ back then - Riku craved physical comfort. It works both ways. Gaku might not openly admit it, but being near his King is comforting for him as well.

Gaku sighs and relents, moving to carry Riku in his arms and walks towards his bedroom. However, when he lowers Riku onto the bed, Riku clings to him still.

“Nanase -”

“I’m sorry,” comes the quiet murmur, surprising Gaku, “The other day...for forcing myself on you, I’m sorry.”

Gaku stills, looking at Riku in surprise.

“You...You don’t need to apologize for that. I...did it out of my own accord.”

Riku smiles against Gaku’s throat. “You’re very kind, Gaku-san. You don’t need to say that to make me feel better. It’s true that while your body and mind didn’t oppose me, but your heart did.” He moves to meet Gaku’s eyes. “You love Tenn-nii that much.”

“Just as you love Tsukumo-san,” Gaku reminds. His words sound like he’s comforting Riku, enough that it brings a smile to the young King’s face.

He finally extracts himself from Gaku’s arms to lie properly on the bed. He pats the empty space.

“Come lie beside me,” he beckons, “I want to feel your warmth at least.”

Gaku obeys, though this time it feels less like he’s merely following his King’s whims and more of genuine concern. The mattress dips when Gaku lies beside him. Riku eagerly snuggles up to him. His other self lets out a content purr in his mind, sounding like a well-fed cat. Riku’s hand loosely holds Iori’s pendant as he lies beside Gaku, listening to the sound of their heartbeats intermingling together.

“When I see Tenn-nii again,” Riku whispers, “I wonder what I will do.”

“How do you feel about him now after your memories returned?” Gaku asks.

“Gaku-san, you know, don’t you? A couple of years ago...despite everything, I never wanted to kill Tenn-nii. If it weren’t for Iori taking the final blow...I would have…” There is a shuddering breath. “I would have let myself be killed that night. And you and Iori would have been free.”

“I had plans,” he continues, his fingers playing with the material of Gaku’s shirt, “I was going to let Iori inherit the apartment I bought in Paris...the one with the pretty garden. I was going to leave things behind for Tenn-nii too. Maybe a letter...one that he will find years later...to tell him that I still loved him despite the pain I faced throughout the years.”

A brief silence.

“Maybe,” Riku says, a little bit quieter now, “As I lay dying in his arms, I would have told him...that I...forgave him. Might be a little cruel for me to do that, though,” Riku chuckles. 

“It might have been,” Gaku says softly. He tucks Riku’s head under his chin. “And yet, your plans changed. You’re well and alive...Izumi, he…” He sighs. “He cares for you so much that he was willing to sacrifice himself for you. And Osaka…”

“He died for love,” Riku continues, “Love...what a human emotion. And for years, I fooled myself into thinking I had gotten rid of my need for it. I played with people’s feelings, fooled around, treated most humans as playthings and yet…”

Yet, on some nights, he would hold on tightly to his chevaliers, craving for more than just physical touch and blood. Sometimes, when Ryo had to leave, he would unconsciously grab for his hand, hiding his wish for the man to stay longer by smiling coyly and coaxing him back to bed. He listened well to Iori of not hurting certain people under the excuse of indulging his chevaliers, but secretly craved for the younger boy’s approval.

“I know what happened to Tenn-nii,” he says, “Sato Yukio did something I thought I had done to myself all those years ago.”

“And what’s that?”

“Turning off his humanity.” 

Riku lets Gaku absorb the words for a moment before he snuggles closer against his chevalier. 

“It’s an ability only monarchs have,” he explains, “To turn off your humanity means that any emotions such as guilt or love will be erased from your heart. It lets you kill unrestrained by your own conscience and in some ways, make you stronger. However...it cannot last forever. One day, it will come undone by itself even if it takes years. But…” Riku pauses. “All the emotions previously locked away will come at full force, and if Tenn-nii keeps his humanity off for too long, his heart won’t be able to take the rush of emotions once it turns back on by itself. If he’s not careful…”

_ “Our dearest brother will die,” _ his other self croons in his head.

“That is why…” Riku looks up at Gaku. “I don’t know how I will react when I see Tenn-nii again. Even if it’s under that man’s influence, he took the person I love away from me, the same way I once did to him. There is no guarantee my old self won’t resurface if I so much as look at his face. But I...I have to stop him. I will see him again and persuade him to turn his humanity back on. To erase the control Sato Yukio on him.”

Riku gets up into a sitting position, with Gaku following suit. Now kneeling in front of each other on the mattress, they look at each other with serious eyes.

“You’ll help me, right, Gaku-san?” Riku asks.

“Of course, I will,” Gaku says, “And I will also stop you from making any rash decisions in case you lose control again.”

Riku’s eyes shape into crescents when he smiles. “You’re a good chevalier, Gaku-san.” He wraps his arms around Gaku into an embrace, kissing the man’s cheek. “Tenn-nii is lucky to have you.”

Gaku presses his lips against Riku’s temple. “As I am glad to have you as my King, Nanase.”

The tender moment is interrupted by an insistent ring from Gaku’s phone.

Quickly releasing Gaku, Riku watches as Gaku fumbles for his phone before he answers the call.

_ “We found him,”  _ Nagi says from the other line,  _ “There was a brief breach in Kujou’s phone security and we finally found his location.” _

Gaku exchanges glances with Riku.

“Where is he?” 

There is a slight pause before Nagi speaks.

_ “New York City.” _

New York City, America. The place where Riku first debuted as a singer. 

_ New York City _

Dainty fingers insistently undo the shirt buttons while lips pepper butterfly kisses on the man’s throat. Ryo gently pushes Tenn away, grabbing his hands from trying to unbutton his shirt. He meets Tenn’s cheeky smile with a serious look.

“I told you, I won’t ever touch you again,” Ryo says, “You can put a haze on my mind because I won’t be able to stop you anyway but don’t ever count on me doing it to you consensually.”

Tenn looks unperturbed by Ryo’s blatant rejection. “You’re really cute, Tsukumo-san. I wonder if Gaku acted the same way when Riku tried to touch him. I guess that is what happens when you make a chevalier out of someone who is already foolishly in love with someone else.”

“You have Yukio-kun. You don’t need me.”

“I don’t  _ need  _ anyone,” Tenn corrects, “I just  _ want _ them. And I want you very, very much.” 

And yet despite his words, Tenn lets go of Ryo, stepping away from the bed to do a light stretch. The oversized shirt he’s wearing is translucent at best - Ryo could still the outline of his body underneath the garment. If Ryo ignores the lighter shade of his hair and his catlike eyes, Tenn could really pass for Riku - the younger twin had dressed similarly when they were together in the past, after all.

“I’m hungry,” Tenn announces, “And I’m in the mood for human blood. Tsukumo-san, be a darling and fetch some for me?” he asks, fluttering his lashes demurely, “I would do it myself but Yukio really wants me to stay low.”

“That’s because you don’t want any suspicions on you when you’re such a brilliant star, Tenn-kun,” Yukio says cheerfully at the doorway. “And speaking of which, you’ll be glad to know that I’ve fetched the two people you asked me to.”

“Oh, already? As expected of Yukio,” Tenn praises, “As a reward for doing such a good job, I’ll let you embrace me tonight.”

“How generous, Tenn-kun! I do miss it.”

Ryo swallows down his reaction at the blatant and careless mention of sex to look at Tenn. “People? Are we expecting anyone?”

“Mm,” Tenn nods, “I’m sure you’re familiar with them? They’re fundamental in my career as an idol, after all.”

He takes the phone Yukio holds out to him to show Ryo the picture displayed on the screen.

The picture of Tenn’s current manager and producer, formerly Riku’s.

Momo and Yuki. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy new year! ^^
> 
> Kudos/comments/bookmarks are appreciated and you can find me on twitter at @tennssi0907 ~


	13. twelve

**Chapter twelve**

When was the last time Riku had stepped onto a plane to go to America?

It’s been so long ago since he last went to the country where he first made his debut as a singer - it was also where he first met his first chevalier Sougo and where Iori was turned into a chevalier shortly afterwards. It was a place where he came to truly rely on someone else for the first time in a long while and perhaps even...saw that person as important.

Now, he’s flying to America for different reasons entirely. 

“Back when we’re still working for Kujou, we had private military planes to use. Now that most of his surviving staff have gone into hiding and our resources are limited, we have to fly commercial.” Yamato puts up his legs on the table in the airport lounge. “When was the last time I had to show my passport to someone?”

“At least you looked fine in yours,” Nagi sniffs, “I looked absolutely dreadful.”

“Nagi, you have too pretty of a face to say that.”

“Yeah, Nagi,” Mitsuki grumbles beside him.

“Have you ridden planes before, Izumi?” Gaku asks curiously. 

“I’ve been to Okinawa a few times,” Mitsuki says, “To...visit an old friend.” His lips pull into a private smile. “I also once travelled with my parents when I was really little, but that was before when I was taken to the lab and my memories from then are really fuzzy.”

He points a thumb to the two people behind them. “This will be their first time riding a commercial plane, though. The private military one we took to go to Paris didn’t really count as an experience.”

He refers to Haruka and Minami who are standing a few feet away observing the planes from the large window panes. While Minami watches the plane with a more quiet wonder, Haruka practically plasters himself to the window, his eyes wide with excitement. During the year Riku had spent asleep, the surviving Schiffs mainly took the time to readjust to normalcy. With the exception of Mitsuki, traveling really didn’t cross their minds that much.

Gaku couldn’t help but to smile when Haruka turned back to look at his friends while pointing outside. “Guys, guys, I think our plane arrived!”

“Calm your horses, Isumi,” Yamato drawls, “Our flight won’t be for another hour.”

Haruka’s eyes bug out. “We’ll ride a  _ different  _ plane?”

Mitsuki smiles with exasperated fondness. “He sounds like an excited toddler. Considering his age, that’s really adorable.”

Several people seem to agree. Around them, mostly women, laugh quietly at Haruka’s antics, especially when Haruka bounces over to drag Mitsuki to watch the planes with him and Minami. 

Meanwhile, Riku is quiet beside Gaku, chewing on the straw to his smoothie thoughtfully. He couldn’t taste the food, like all chiropterans, but he still retains the habit of liking the feeling of something cold on his tongue and going down his throat. His expression is distant, like he is thinking of something deeply.

“Are you okay?” Gaku asks, “If you’re worried about our movements being tracked -”

Riku shakes his head. “I don’t really care about that. I don’t know Sato Yukio beyond my time at the lab, but I have a feeling that he’ll probably be expecting us, anyway. Don’t you think it’s a bit too convenient that Tenn-nii’s phone just  _ happens _ to be trackable suddenly? Sato Yukio  _ wants  _ us to find them. Which means...whatever plans he has in store for us, it’s probably already in motion.”

Gaku frowns deeply. “You have a point.”

“What I  _ do _ want to know is that...why America?” Riku makes a frustrated sound. “If he wants to recreate whatever I did in the past, why not Paris? Ryo-san’s opera house is still standing, and the last time I checked, doesn’t have anything scheduled. Why not there?”

But deep inside his heart, Riku has a feeling he knows the reason. Sato Yukio’s plans to recreate the past, now with Tenn as the main chess piece, goes beyond just wanting to copy whatever Riku did. He’s very sure that the man has an ulterior motive behind his seemingly predictable moves.

But the question is... _ what? _

Riku yelps in surprise when someone pinches his cheek. His other self, who had been quietly napping inside him, raises his head in mild curiosity. 

Haruka is looking at him with a frown. 

“Oi, stop brooding and watch planes with me.”

Riku blinks. “Huh?”

“I kinda miss it when you were all childish and annoying,” Haruka harrumphs, “Now you’re quiet and serious and have random mood swings. We’re going to deal with a lot of things once we land in America so don’t waste time brooding and come watch planes with me.”

“He’s right, you know,” Yamato says, “I don’t think we’ll have a moment to rest once we reach New York, so it would be good for you to enjoy the small things while you still can, Riku. Go join Isumi and Natsume for a bit.”

Riku looks at Gaku with uncertainty. 

“Go,” Gaku says with a smile, “We still have an hour before our flight. Go explore the area if you want.” He reaches inside his pocket to pull out his wallet. He holds out his credit card. “In fact, here. There’s a bookstore nearby. Go buy something to read or something so you have something to do in the plane.”

Riku looks at the credit card in Gaku’s hand. “Are you sure?”

“Positive. Go, go.”

“...Mm. Okay.”

Gaku watches as Riku and Haruka go up to Minami before the three of them go towards the aforementioned bookstore. Haruka is dragging Riku by the hand as they run towards the place, his expression excited.

“Out of everyone, Haruka really does act his age, huh?” Nagi muses, “It’s a refreshing thing to look at.” He turns to Gaku. “Did Riku used to do the same thing?”

Gaku smiles wanly. “He...certainly made sure he had fun.”

But whether or not he was acting his age was a different matter entirely.

It isn’t too long later when the airport speakers crackle as an announcement is being made.

_ “The flight to New York city is now boarding -” _

“Darling, is it a normal thing for the hosts to hold us hostage like this?” Momo asks with mock cheer.

“I would normally excuse it as some culture we don’t understand, but apparently, this doesn’t seem to be the case,” Yuki replies with forced politeness. His eyes are cold when he directs his next question to the person in front of him. “Care to explain yourself, Tenn-kun?”

Tenn sits in front of them, a charming smile playing on his lips. Yuki and Momo are bound to their chairs with a single chain around their ankle, as they have been since they arrived in America. In fact, their arrival to New York had been...interesting.

“I’m not sure being kidnapped from my own hotel room made it into my itinerary, to be honest,” Yuki adds, “Even if you did pay for the trip, that’s not very nice of you, Tenn-kun. Which also begs the question,  _ where  _ have you been?”

“Here and there,” Tenn replies idly, “And I’m sorry but we had no choice but to bring you here like this. Couldn’t afford you knowing where we are just yet. Not until you agree to what I have in mind, that is.”

“Can’t we do this without the chains?” Momo asks weakly, “Tenn, this is a little...over the top?”

Tenn smiles brilliantly. “I think they look good on you. Isn’t that right, Tsukumo-san?”

Ryo steps out from the shadows to stand beside Tenn, very aware of Momo’s surprised gaze and Yuki’s narrowed eyes on him. “Sorry,” he says, “Tenn-kun here doesn’t want you to make a run for it.”

“Will you give us a reason to make a run for it?” Yuki asks.

Tenn giggles, as if pleased by the question. “Depends! Yukio did a good job at capturing the two of you, though. I made sure I rewarded him plenty last night.”

Ryo grimaces. He doesn’t need the reminder. He still remembers all the sounds Tenn made last night - purposely loud so Ryo could hear every single one of them from his room. Yuki’s face changes immediately, implying that he knows exactly what Tenn means.

“I did make sure to treat them very gently,” Yukio speaks, stepping into the room, “See? No bruises in sight!”

“Can someone  _ please _ explain what’s going on?” Momo asks, sounding more and more frazzled, “We came here under Tenn’s request who said he has a job for us. I wasn’t expecting to get kidnapped out of all things!”

“I know this must be confusing,” Ryo says, “I’ll explain it to you, if Tenn-kun would let me.”

Tenn waves his consent to him dismissively.

“Tsukumo-san, you played a part in this as well?” Yuki asks seriously, “Ugh...why do I feel a massive sense of deja vu?”

“Come to think of it...so do I,” Momo admits.

This seems to elicit a pleased reaction from Tenn, whose smile only widens before parting to reveal his teeth. “I’m not surprised if you do. About two years ago, Riku invited you to Paris so you can work for him for a concert before he asked you to leave at the last minute. I’m inviting you here to do the same.”

“If that’s all there is to it, why the chains? Why the kidnapping? Why disappear from the face of the earth only to appear again on social media without even a word to your agency?” Yuki demands angrily, “Whatever games you’re playing, I have no patience for it, Tenn-kun.”

Then, his expression twists a little. “Riku-kun is worried for you, you know. Yaotome-kun as well. He’s doing his best to cover for you.”

“I’ll thank him properly when I see him,” Tenn says without concern, “I’ll even write President Yaotome a lengthy apologetic email if you’d like. He loves emails, doesn’t he?”

“Tenn-kun…”

“The reason I brought you here like this is because I will be very frank to you about the details of the job I have for you.” Tenn’s eyes twinkle. “Unlike my precious brother, you see, I’m not a liar. Nor do I secretly care for people. If you accept this job, there’s a chance you will get killed in the process and I will not care unless you did an extraordinary job.”

“And if we reject?” Yuki challenges.

“Then you die here,” Tenn says brightly, “I told you...I’m not a liar. So I will show you exactly how you will die.”

“Tenn-kun -” Ryo warns.

“It’s alright,” Yukio says gleefully, “It’s better if we don’t have to put up pretenses anymore, anyway.”

“Um...what are you guys talking about?” Momo asks nervously. He fidgets in his seat.

“This.” Tenn grins, baring his teeth. 

His eyes begin to glow bright red as his fangs begin to elongate. He catches Yuki and Momo’s shocked faces just as his hands shoot out towards the nearest person to him - Ryo -, pulling him towards himself before bringing Ryo’s hand to his lips.

Momo lets out a startled cry when Tenn sinks his teeth into Ryo’s wrist.

“T-Tenn is a...vampire!” he screams.

“Close enough,” Yukio says cheerfully, “He is definitely a monster, however. Biting Tsukumo-san’s wrist here is the least he could do. If you disobey him, he won’t hesitate to go for your throat instead.”

Yuki feels sick. He watches in stunned silence as Ryo lets himself be bitten by Tenn, his face only a mask of mild discomfort. When Tenn finally pulls away, he sees that Tenn’s lips are now streaked with blood. Both men flinch when Tenn turns his eyes towards them.

“Is that enough of a persuasion for you, Yuki-san? Momo-san?” he asks cheerfully, “If it’s not, don’t think I forgot who you left behind in Japan.”

Yuki and Momo still at his words.

“Banri-san, was it?” Tenn asks, “I wonder how  _ his  _ blood tastes like -”

“Don’t!” Yuki and Momo say in unison. 

“Don’t touch him,” Yuki says again, “We’ll listen to you. And whatever your job entails, we’ll do it. Just... _ please _ don’t touch Banri.”

Momo looks at Yuki with teary eyes. “Yuki…”

Tenn looks pleased at the outcome. “Good. I know I can always rely on my favorite producers and managers.” He sits back down on the chair, crossing one long leg over the other. “Now, let me indulge you what your job entails.”

Tenn ends up telling Yuki and Momo everything. About his existence as a King of all chiropterans - vampiric creatures that survive on the blood of humans and can only be killed by a monarch. He explains Ryo’s and Yukio’s unique circumstances as well as Riku’s and Gaku’s. The last two names surprisingly don’t draw as much reaction from Yuki as it did when it came to Ryo and Yukio.

“I’ve always suspected something when I worked with them,” Yuki murmurs, “They never age and I don’t think I’ve seen them eat human food. I knew they were different somehow but I just...don’t know how.”

Tenn grins. “Now you do.”

Momo looks shaken to the core. “Riku and you...feed on human blood and y-you can turn others into your kind?”

“Mm-hm!”

“And this job you have in mind for us…” Momo stammers. He lets out a few shuddering breaths. “I-I think I need to lie down.”

Tenn waves his hand dismissively. “Feel free. You already accepted the job anyway, so however you choose to process the truth is entirely up to you.” He gets up before turning to look at Yukio. “You can unchain them now. I’ve told them everything that’s needed so I’m off.”

“Oh my, where is our cute little King going?” Yukio asks.

“The little bookstore across the street. I’m getting a little restless so I’ll buy something to tear apart. With  _ your  _ credit card, of course,” Tenn adds with a wink, “Hmm...maybe I’ll go shopping as well. I need new clothes. The ones I brought from Japan are starting to bore me.”

“Don’t go murdering people in the process,” Yukio says cheerfully.

Tenn rolls his eyes. “I’m ruthless, not stupid. See you~”

“Here you go,” Yukio says a while later after unchaining the both of them from the chair, “You’re free to go back to your hotel if you’d like. I trust that you won’t go blabbering about our plans, of course. We have eyes and ears everywhere.”

Yuki looks at him warily. “Somehow, I don’t doubt that.” He then pays attention to Momo, who still looks shaken up. “Momo, are you alright?”

“Lie down,” Momo says in a thin voice, “I need to lie down.”

Yukio sighs dramatically. “You humans need a better mental resistance. Whatever. I’m off to accompany Tenn-kun on his little shopping trip before he kills anyone.” He pats Ryo on the shoulder. “Look after our guest, Tsukumo-san. They can stay here for a bit if they like, though it would be better if they’re gone by the time Tenn-kun and I return.”

Ryo shrugs off his hand. “Go chase after Tenn-kun already. If he slaughtered people, it’ll be on your conscience.”

“Scary~”

Ryo waits until the sound of the front door closes and for Yukio’s presence to fade away before he turns to Yuki and Momo, the latter looking as though he’s about to faint.

“You can lie down in my room, if you’d like,” Ryo answers, “I have a feeling the two of you still want more answers.”

“Tsukumo-san, your hand…” Momo says, “Is it okay?”

“Huh? Oh.” Ryo lifts his hand to show them both his now unblemished skin, as though he was never bitten in the first place. “Chiropterans heal very fast. I’m fine. It was just a playful bite.”

Momo pales. “That’s a playful bite -”

“We’d like that bed, please,” Yuki says through gritted teeth, “ _ Before  _ my partner here faints from shock.”

A few moments later, with Momo now lying down and slowly falling asleep on Ryo’s bed, Yuki finds himself sitting in front of the man himself in the apartment’s dining room. Ryo offers a cup of tea to Yuki, which the latter gratefully accepts. 

“Tenn-kun seems...really different,” Yuki says with a hushed breath, “He somehow reminds me of Riku-kun. Just...more…” He makes a vague gesture with his hands. “I don’t know, there’s something off about him. Riku-kun is already eccentric, but Tenn-kun now feels as though he could do anything he wants regardless of the consequences. He feels…”

“Dangerous?” Ryo guesses.

“That’s one way to put it,” Yuki relents, “What happened to him, Tsukumo-san? Is this a common thing among these...monarch chiropterans? A side effect, maybe?”

Ryo shakes his head to deny this. “It’s more complicated than that. Though I’m not sure how much I’m allowed to tell you.”

“Will you get into trouble?”

Ryo smiles thinly. “Among other things.” He sighs. “In any case, please know that this Tenn-kun isn’t the normal Tenn-kun we know. And you can rest assured that you can blame all terrible things that happened so far to that Sato Yukio.” Ryo makes a face that is enough to bring a tired smile on Yuki’s face. “That guy is bad news and I’ve dabbled into trouble myself a few times.”

Yuki looks down for a bit to contemplate his words. He looks at Ryo again a few seconds later, his question ready at his lips. 

“What about you?”

“Me?” Ryo blinks in surprise, not expecting the question. “What about me?”

“How did  _ you _ end up in this situation?” Yuki asks, “If what Tenn-kun said is true, you’re...some kind of his right hand man, no? His loyal...subject or whatever. Che…”

“Chevalier.”

“Right, that. And you’re turned into one because you drank his blood. What happened? It’s a little odd of you to serve  _ him  _ of all people.” Yuki tilts his head. “Since Riku-kun is also the same kind as Tenn-kun, I would assume you would serve him instead, given the nature of your relationship. Am I missing something?”

“It’s…” Now, it’s Ryo’s turn to sigh. “It’s the same reason why Yaotome-kun ended up serving Riku instead of Tenn-kun. It wasn’t...exactly consensual.”

Yuki pales. “Tsukumo-san…”

“I don’t dwell on it anymore. Nothing comes out of it. I am what I am. I can’t undo things.” Ryo tries to give Yuki a reassuring smile. “Tenn-kun can get a little handsy because of what he is, but Yaotome-kun endured the same thing when he was with Riku. If Yaotome-kun could, then so can I.”

He leans back his seat, moving his head to look at the ceiling. “It isn’t so bad. Tenn-kun for the most part doesn’t force me to do much.”

Except for that one time where Ryo ended up sleeping with him. He stubbornly pushes that thought away. 

“I’ll be fine,” he says to Yuki, “And regarding this job…”

The unpleasant look returns to Yuki’s face upon the reminder. “I wonder if that time with Riku-kun...I was doing the same thing. That...the massacre that happened in Paris - Momo and I had a role in it, one or the other. Not even that. All those other performances...I recalled a few incidents happening in Japan. Riku-kun had a hand in those, did he?”

“I wouldn’t know, I’m sorry,” Ryo says ruefully, “But what I do know is that Riku sent the two of you away before the final show, didn’t he? He made sure he protected you from the mess that was about to happen. I…” He lets out a breath. “I would be lying if I said I understood fully what Riku could have been thinking then - killing people yet sparing some - but what I am sure is that if Riku cares for you, he will care for you deeply.”

“That’s nice of you to say, but it doesn’t change the fact that Momo and I played our parts, even if unknowingly.” Yuki frowns deeply. “Now, we’re going to play our part knowingly, even if unwillingly.” He meets Ryo’s gaze. “And so will you, huh?”

Ryo smiles softly. “So will I.”

They fade into silence for a moment, allowing them to gather and entertain their own thoughts. 

“The world is really messed up, huh?” Yuki laughs mirthlessly, “Momo and I planned to enjoy our little honeymoon here after we’re done with whatever job Tenn-kun wanted to give to us. Maybe lecture Tenn-kun for a bit before dragging him home. Instead, we’re somehow involved in a plan that will kill lots of people.”

He releases another shuddering sigh. “I should go lie down too. And then, we’ll go back to our hotel and sort things out. Don’t worry, we won’t run away,” he adds with a knowing smile.

Ryo doesn’t return it. “If it were me, I would have preferred that you do.”

“Well, I feel comforted that at least one out of the three of you is on our side.” Yuki rises from his seat. “I’ll borrow your bed for a moment, if you don’t mind.”

“Please feel free.”

Ryo watches Yuki retreat back to Ryo’s room and waits until he hears the sound of the mattress creaking before he allows himself to deflate where he sits. He buries his face in his hands, sighing deeply.

“Riku, I wish you were here to make things better,” he says quietly.

In the silence of the dining room, the sound of the ticking clock on the wall and Yuki and Momo’s distant breathing become his only companions.

The arrival to New York is uneventful.

The long plane ride ends up draining most of everyone involved. Haruka’s the only one with any sort of energy left, but he relents and follows everyone to the hotel they booked. Gaku expects for Riku to give some sort of reaction when the van taxi they take drives out of the airport and into the city - after all, this was the city where he first debuted - but Riku simply looks out of the window and says nothing at all. Gaku wonders if Riku is as drained as the rest of them.

The large group arrive at the hotel with no trouble at all. While Gaku handles the check-in, the rest come to an agreement that the Schiffs share a room, while Yamato rooms with Nagi, leaving Gaku to room with Riku. It is an arrangement that no one objects to and by the time Gaku returns with the key cards, Riku is already pulling him along, separating from the rest of the group.

“We’ll discuss things over tomorrow,” Yamato calls out, “We should all get some rest.”

“I wanted to go sightseeing…” Haruka grumbles.

“We can do that later,” Minami soothes.

By the time Gaku and Riku reach their room, Riku surprises Gaku even more when the boy pulls him towards the bed before pushing him down.

Gaku’s heart thumps rapidly in his chest. “Nanase, wait -”

“I’m thirsty,” Riku says, “I can’t feed on the plane so I’ve been waiting and waiting. So _ please _ , Gaku-san. No more talking. I just want to feed.”

Gaku blinks. “Oh. O-okay. You could have said that first before pushing me down like this.” He quickly unbuttons his collar, parting the fabric of his shirt to expose his throat. Riku quickly leans down to nuzzle the man’s throat, licking a wet stripe before he sinks his elongated fangs into the skin.

Gaku stares at the ceiling while rubbing Riku’s hair absently as his King feeds. It doesn’t hurt this time, which means Riku isn’t in one of his erratic moods again. He’s glad. He hopes that for the duration they’re in America, Riku could remain like this.

But then...here in New York -

The twins will surely meet. That’s sort of the whole point - to bring Tenn back to their side. And yet, Gaku couldn’t help but to worry about what might happen if the two meet.

He couldn’t even imagine the outcome, which makes it even more terrifying to think about.

He realizes belatedly that Riku has stopped feeding and is now staring at him. Though not quite at him. His gaze is a little bit more downwards. It takes Gaku a moment to realize that he is looking at the chain necklace around his neck.

The one with Tenn’s ring hanging from the chain.

“You brought it to America,” Riku says.

“Just like how you brought this.” Gaku points to the blood crystal hanging around Riku’s neck. The boy’s hand automatically drifts upward to hold it.

“I’m going to return this to Tenn when we find him,” Gaku says determinedly, “To remind him that he belongs with us instead of that man he’s somehow grown attached to.”

Riku gives him an unreadable look.

“Gaku-san...if we find Tenn-nii here and I lose control of my emotions,” Riku says quietly, “What would you do?”

“I would stop you,” Gaku answers without hesitation, “I will stop both of you.”

Riku manages a small smile. “Always the hero.” He leans down and lies on top of Gaku, pressing his ear against the spot on Gaku’s chest where his heart beats underneath. He could feel his other self awakening from his slumber, so Riku closes his eyes before his other self could see Gaku and do things he doesn’t want to do.

“Don’t get yourself hurt in the process,” he murmurs, “Don’t be a reckless chevalier. Like...Iori.”

Gaku jerks to a still at the name, but Riku is already asleep to notice it. He watches the boy sleep, his hands moving to adjust the boy so Riku is tucked at his side instead. Lying on the bed, Gaku holds Riku close.

“Mm.”

Yukio leans against the brick wall, watching the scene unfolding before his eyes with amusement.

Deep in the alleyway, Tenn is halfway undressed - his shirt mostly unbuttoned and slipping from his shoulder and his pants pushed down the swell of his ass. He is locked in an embrace with a random man, his head ducked in a way that makes it seem like Tenn is deeply kissing the man in his arms.

However, the man is still in Tenn’s arms, his own arms dangling uselessly at his sides. His head lolls to the side, exposing his throat - now torn to shreds by Tenn. Tenn still has his fangs buried deep in the man’s throat as he drinks to his heart’s content.

Earlier, Tenn had allowed the man - drunk out of his mind - to corner Tenn in the alleyway and grope him enough to render him distracted before Tenn made his final strike.

He hears the sound of a body dropping to the ground and turns to see that the man’s corpse is now at Tenn’s feet. Tenn himself is busy adjusting his clothes before turning to look at Yukio, his eyes as red as the blood that drips his chin.

He looks hauntingly beautiful like this.

Tenn suddenly looks up, like he senses something. Then, his lips slowly stretch into a smile.

“It looks like my precious brother is finally here to join us.”


	14. thirteen

**Chapter thirteen**

  
  


Gaku feels the sunlight streaming into the room before he could see. His skin feels warm from it and when he opens his eyes, he notices how bright the room is. He glances at the alarm clock on the bedside table and sees that it is already 30 minutes past eight. He slept longer than he thought he would.

When was the last time he felt this jetlagged from the long flight?

He groans as he slowly becomes more and more awake and only then does he notice the weight against his body. He turns his head and almost instantly feels something tickling his cheek.

“Nanase…?”

Riku is sleeping peacefully beside him, his face smoothed out from slumber. His hand is loosely gripping the red crystal hanging around his neck, the gem glimmering softly in the sunlight. Gaku finds himself staring at the crystal a little longer.

“Izumi, even now, you’re still…” Gaku murmurs.

He finds himself regretting a little not keeping Sougo’s crystal as well. A year ago, Tenn had requested his crystal to be buried with Tamaki’s, so the two chevaliers can be together at last. Now, Gaku wonders if he should have kept at least a fragment of Sougo’s, so he too could be remembered along with Iori, just as he should have taken some of Tamaki’s so Tenn could remember him by.

A thought flashes through his head. One day… if fate has it, would Tenn also -

Riku makes a soft sound, stealing back Gaku’s attention. The boy’s eyelids twitch before they flutter open. Hazy dark red eyes meet silver.

“Gaku...san?”

“Good morning,” Gaku says with a smile, “Had a good sleep?”

“Mm… Decent.” Riku instinctively snuggles closer to Gaku. “You smell nice, Gaku-san.”

Gaku chuckles softly. “I haven’t even showered, but I’m glad you think so.” He brushes a hair from Riku’s hair. “Do you need to drink?”

Riku shakes his head. “I’m okay. What about you, Gaku-san? Do you need to drink?”

Now that he thinks about it, these past several weeks, Riku doesn’t remember the last time he had seen Gaku properly feed. Gaku typically feeds in private to begin with - usually from the blood bags they store in their apartment - so it is a scene that Riku rarely witnesses.

These days, anyway. Two years ago, it was a different story. Riku could feel his other self stirring inside of him at the thought, so he pushes it far away. He rises from the bed, keeping his eyes on Gaku. “Gaku-san, you should feed too, you know.”

“I’ll be okay,” Gaku says, “I can look for supplies later. The Schiffs probably need some too - N-Nanase?! What are you doing?”

Riku is already unbuttoning more of his shirt buttons until he is able to expose more of his throat. He parts the fabric until it nearly slips off one shoulder before looking at Gaku. “We can look for supplies,” Riku agrees, “But for now, why don’t you feed from me?”

Gaku swallows. “That won’t be necessary.”

Riku tries to push down the negative feelings from rising. It’s not like he doesn’t understand Gaku’s hesitation. His chevalier has complicated feelings in regards to feeding directly from Riku - feelings that Riku had instigated himself a couple of years ago. 

But still.

“I won’t do anything you don’t want,” he says quietly, “I told you, didn’t I? I won’t do those things anymore. I…” He exhales. “I know what I did was wrong and I won’t force you if you truly don’t want to. But -” He looks at Gaku. “I’m your King, after all. I want to help you, even if it’s just for this.”

“Nanase…”

In the end, Gaku couldn’t resist his King, after all.

“You being yourself is already helping me,” Gaku says gently, “Your presence calms me, Nanase. And… I trust you when you say you won’t do it again. I know you’ve changed.” He takes some strands of Riku’s hair and lightly presses it to his lips. “I’m grateful to have you by my side.”

Riku moves closer, half straddling Gaku on the bed. Though his other self perks in interest, Riku determinedly keeps this as impersonal as possible. This man he calls his chevalier already has someone he truly loves, as does Riku. He won’t be the same person as he was two years ago. He’s okay now. He has people who love him.

He doesn’t need to force them to stay by his side anymore.

“Do you want to drink from me, my chevalier?” he asks softly.

“...If you’ll have me,” Gaku murmurs, “My King.” 

Gaku’s grip is strong on him, but it is also gentle. Riku could feel Gaku’s breath on his throat as the man tilts Riku’s head for better access. Although there is still some hesitation, Gaku’s movements are surer than they were two years ago. Riku shivers when Gaku licks a wet stripe up Riku’s throat.

Before Gaku sinks his fangs into Riku’s skin.

Long, long time ago, Riku’s old mentor used to teach the twins about the near-dependency a monarch shares with their chevalier. The comfort provided from the act of blood-drinking does not only happen when a monarch drinks from a chevalier - it works the other way round, too. Riku finds himself holding Gaku closer, tilting his head a little more so Gaku could drink deeper.

He closes his eyes and enjoys the rush of near euphoria in his veins. 

A sense of euphoria that is cut short only by the thought of two other people.

His brother Tenn. And the person he loves, Ryo. He wonders if Ryo too finds comfort in Tenn’s blood and presence, despite the circumstances of his transformation. He wonders if like Riku two years ago, Tenn, too, forces Ryo to do things he doesn’t want to.

He wonders if Ryo enjoys it. 

He feels Gaku stiffening in his hold. He must have felt Riku’s anxiety flowing into the blood. He feels Gaku moving - presumably to look at Riku - when there is a loud knock on the door.

“Good morning!” Yamato says loudly, “I’m here to discuss our plans from now on!”

Gaku pulls away, rocking back on his heels as he wipes his blood-stained lips with the back of his hand.

“Count on Nikaido to have great timing,” he says with a roll of his eyes, “You okay, Nanase?”

Riku nods. The bite mark on his throat is already healing. “I’ll be fine.”

“Sorry, did I interrupt anything?” Yamato says casually as soon as Gaku opens the door, “I hope you two weren’t doing anything naughty. What would Tenn say?”

“You said you wanted to discuss things?” Gaku asks pointedly, “Or should I leave you here by the door?”

“Now, now. No need to get mad,” Yamato returns, raising his hands. He slips past Gaku to walk into the room. He spots Riku sitting at the edge of the bed, who has already buttoned up his shirt. “Good morning, Riku.”

Riku gives Yamato a polite smile. “Good morning.”

After waiting for Gaku and Riku to change into proper clothes for the day, Yamato sits them down before handing them business cards.

“These are…?” Gaku looks at one card in his hand quizzically.

“Producers, event managers, entertainment personnel, and the like,” Yamato says, “Isumi’s mentor helped look for any relevant people who might know a thing or two of Tenn’s activities in New York. He might have not formally debuted yet, but if he plans to, his name should be familiar to at least one of these people.”

“Are these all of them?” Gaku asks.

“No, but they’re a good head start, considering their prominence. We’ll move on to smaller ones once we’re sure none of these have any relations to Tenn.” Then, Yamato reaches for his phone before his fingers tap and slide across the screen. “Also, I’m sending the both of you a location for weapons you might need.”

Riku lifts his gaze from his phone. “Weapons?”

“Isumi’s mentor really knows her way around,” Yamato says, “Kujou dealt with a lot of things when he was still alive. While creating Corpse Corps and the Schiffs, he had plans to distribute them globally for military use. Since they lack the shapeshifting ability of a chevalier and a monarch, they would need weapons. Minato-san - Isumi’s mentor - found one of Kujou’s old acquaintances who stayed in hiding after his death who deals with weaponry.”

Yamato flips his phone and shows them the map. “The Schiffs, Nagi and I would definitely need weapons. Yaotome, you don’t really depend on them, do you?”

Gaku shakes his head to confirm this. “But Nanase would,” he says, “I’ve never seen him fight without one.”

“I can,” Riku says, “But I can’t make anything like Gaku’s. Chevalier’s shapeshifting skills are a little bit more enhanced than a monarch’s for the sake of their survival. Kings and Queens won’t need them.” 

Although they can shapeshift their physical features into becoming a different person entirely, monarch chiropterans lack the ability to transform their hands into weapons. They would have no use for such skills, because they’re capable of taking lives with just their normal, humanlike appearance. 

After all, two years ago, Riku had once driven this hand up someone’s chest.

Shaking his head to quickly clear those thoughts away, Riku focuses his attention on the name cards instead. He had worked in America for over a year as a singer - he debuted here, after all. It’s been years since then and most of the names in the cards are unfamiliar, but there are some he recognizes. 

“I know some of them,” he confirms to Yamato and Gaku, “If Sato Yukio is to mimic what I did, there’s a high chance he will contact them first. These people handled my activities the entire time I was in America and Iori and Sougo-san kept in touch with some of them even when I started promoting elsewhere. They’ll be well-acquainted with my kind of events.”

Yamato nods as he notes this in his phone. “Then, we’ll put them at top priority.” 

They discuss a few more things before Yamato finally makes his leave. “I’ll go get breakfast with Nagi. Also, there is one more thing. I don’t know if you two would need it since you have each other, but we also have a contact here that can supply us with some blood.”

“Is it Minato-san again?” Gaku asks.

“That woman is amazing, honestly,” Yamato says, “She also has a soft spot for Isumi, so she does things mainly for his sake. But still. Considering things, it’s good to have her on our side.”

“That’s true,” Gaku agrees, “I should give her my thanks the next time we meet.”

“Hopefully with Tenn-nii by your side,” Riku says determinedly, “Tenn-nii needs to apologize to her as well for the trouble he had caused.”

Gaku smiles at his young King. “Yes.”

A few moments after Yamato is gone, Gaku watches Riku as the boy laces his boots by the doorway. Maybe it’s their bond as King and chevalier, but Gaku could sense the nervousness thrumming under Riku’s skin.

Gaku is unfamiliar with Riku’s time in America - he only heard bits and pieces from Iori and Sougo when they were still around and from the memories Riku once showed him - but he can tell that even as indifferent as he was back then, America meant something to Riku. He doubts that the feelings changed since then.

When Riku lifts his head to meet Gaku’s gaze, Gaku flashes him a smile that is meant to be reassuring. He holds out his hand to Riku.

“Shall we go?”

Riku returns his smile. “Mm.” And moves to lace their fingers together. 

“Minato-san really is amazing, ya know!” Haruka boasts later that day. He puffs his chest proudly, grinning from ear to ear. He and Minami fit well among the New Yorkians with their choice of outfits - ones apparently Minato had also provided. “She even gave me new clothes for the trip! They’re comfy and easy to fight in too.”

“Minato-san dotes on him,” Minami explains with an indulgent smile, “Strict as she may be in his lessons, she views him as her very own son.”

Riku finds himself smiling quietly. Many years before, he too had a mentor who viewed him and his brother as his own family. The old scientist had treated them not as test subjects but as fellow humans and indulged in every single one of their questions about their kind, especially Riku’s. 

_ “But Kujou-san killed him,” _ his other self whispered in his ears,  _ “Took everything away from us.” _

“Kujou-san is no longer alive,” Riku murmurs to himself, “He can no longer hurt us.”

_ “Only if we don’t let him,”  _ his other self singsongs.

“Nanase.” Haruka is peering at him, breaking his train of thoughts. “Are you still with us?”

“Huh? Oh. Yeah. I’m sorry. Just lost my thought a little.”

He gives Gaku a smile as well, catching his concerned look. “I’m fine.” He quickly turns to Yamato. “What’s the plan for today?”

“It’ll be best if we split up,” Nagi answers on his behalf, “A large group will just draw attention if Sato has eyes in this city, which I don’t doubt he does. Also, it will be faster this way, anyway. We can cover more grounds.”

“I’ll go with Yamato and Nagi,” Mitsuki says, “Haruka, you go with Riku. Yaotome-san, you can go with Minami.” He pauses. “Sorry, I divided you guys according to who can speak English… Um, Yaotome-san, I’m assuming you can?”

Gaku shrugs. “A decent amount. I lived with Nanase in Paris long enough to pick up the language.”

“Good.”

Haruka bounces on his heels. “I know we’re here on a mission and all, but is it alright if I go sightseeing in the process?” At his companion’s amused expressions, his cheeks flush in embarrassment. “What? It’s the first time I’ve been traveling. The time in Paris didn’t count!” he protests. 

“You can look around if you want,” Yamato says while shaking his head exasperatedly, “Just be safe. We can’t carry weapons out in the open and you need to lay low.”

“I know,” Haruka grumbles, “I can defend myself well enough without a weapon.” He looks at Riku. “You’ll show me around, right? You lived in New York for a while. You gotta know at least  _ some  _ places.”

“I have several, yes,” Riku confirms.

“Great!”

“Before you get overexcited,” Nagi says with a roll of his eyes, “Here’s the list of people you’ll be looking for. Keep in mind that these people usually need prior appointments to meet - something we unfortunately don’t have - so try and find a way to personally see them. We’ve included the people Riku said he recognized, so it should be a little easier.”

Riku feels something squeezing his shoulders. He glances at Gaku again. “Good luck,” Gaku says.

“Mm,” Riku says with a nod.

With a promised time and place, the group then scatters to find their targets.

_ “Tenn Nanase?” _ the blonde woman sitting across Riku and Haruka questions in English, eyeballing the picture in her hands,  _ “I’ve never heard of him. We’re also fully booked until the end of the year for another major client from Germany, so I can’t help you. I’m sorry.” _

_ “No. It’s alright. Thank you for your help,” _ Riku replies. 

_ “T-thank you!” _ Haruka says in clumsy English.

The rest of their search goes similarly. With lack of appointments, even seeing these people are difficult, and it took some charm on Riku’s side to convince them to at least spare them a few minutes. Some aren’t even in the country. With the lack of leads, Riku’s spirit is dwindling.

Haruka, on the other hand, is having the time of his life. 

With the offices of most of these people located in the center of New York, Haruka has the chance to look and marvel at the tall buildings and flashy billboards as well as pass by some famous tourist spots. While moving from one office to the other, Haruka takes the time to ask Riku questions on anything interesting he sees and quickly stops by for a detour after each office visit.

It makes their search stretch out longer and admittedly, they’ve only covered only half of the people in the list so far due to all the detours they took, but it’s only their second day in New York. The search for Tenn remains urgent, but Riku supposes he can cut Haruka some slack for now. 

“After this, can we go to this theater building?” Haruka asks on their way to the next office, “I’ve read some cool stuff about it.”

Riku looks at the picture on Haruka’s phone, his eyes widening by a fraction when he sees the building. He recognizes that place. He would have never thought he would visit again in these circumstances.

“Sure,” Riku says, “Once we’re done with this person, we’ll go.”

Haruka beams. “Awesome!”

Riku wishes he could be as excited as the young Schiff beside him who is now holding his hand and pulling Riku to their next destination.

In a recording studio somewhere in the city, Tenn sings in the recording booth, smiling to himself as he does. It’s one of his new singles he had planned to release online as a teaser for his main event - one that will happen sooner or later.

Ryo observes Tenn singing with crossed arms, keeping his face as neutral as possible. This recording studio is one of Tsukumo Production’s properties overseas. Many years ago, this was where Riku recorded his debut single.

He’s not sure whether the choice of this particular place had been coincidental or intentional, but the thought of Tenn recording a song here - one he knows is not done for his fans but for a different agenda entirely - sends an uneasy feeling in his heart.

“Tenn-kun’s singing only got better, I see,” Yuki says as he stands beside him, “The fans would be happy being able to hear him sing again.”

“He really brought your song alive, Yuki. And it’s barely a day since he first listened to the demo,” Momo remarks, “As expected of a genius.” 

“His past experience as an indie singer might have something to do with it,” Ryo says, “But I agree. Tenn-kun...really does have the certain charm about him. He just draws you in. Maybe that’s why he does so well as an idol.”

Ryo hadn’t planned on saying his next words, but Yuki ends up beating him to the punch anyway.

“As good as Riku-kun, even,” the composer says quietly, “As expected of twins.”

Momo turns his head and gives Ryo a careful look. “This doesn’t have anything to do with...whatever it is Tenn is, right? Whatever...Riku is, too.”

Ryo cannot even afford to give a straight answer. From what Yukio told him, it is possible for monarchs to have that ability, and Riku once used his charm to draw in the audience before turning them into monsters. The man led Ryo to believe that Tenn might share the same power, given his current level of strength and the fact that him and Riku shared the same womb. 

But as of right now, Ryo can’t tell if Tenn’s seemingly natural ability to master songs and draw people in is part of his powers as a King or just his natural charm as a person.

“I don’t know,” he ends up saying.

“It doesn’t matter if it is,” Yuki says, “With what Sato Yukio is planning, Tenn-kun will be using his powers regardless.”

The sentence makes the studio grow quiet, with the exception of Tenn still singing in the recording booth. He is singing the high note of the bridge now, holding his tone perfectly well. No matter how complicated his relationship with his King is, Ryo couldn’t deny that Tenn is impressive.

Is this how Gaku had felt when Riku once forced him to stay by his side?

The door swings open to reveal Yukio. He is all relaxed smiles as he approaches the trio, before his dark eyes slide to see Tenn in the recording booth. He whistles. “Tenn-kun is working hard, I see.”

“Where did you go?” Ryo asks.

“Hm? Oh, just looking into some things. Meetings here and there. It’s a busy life as Tenn-kun’s new manager. I don’t know how the two of you did it,” Yukio says, grinning at Yuki and Momo. 

Yuki and Momo give him apprehensive looks in return, which do not fade away when Yukio places the paper bag he’s been holding onto the table at the center of the room. 

“I bought you lunch,” Yukio says, “Figured you might be hungry. And don’t worry, I didn’t put anything funny in it. I need the two of you alive, after all.”

“You saying that won’t help things,” Ryo says with a raised eyebrow.

“Just a jest, just a jest! Oh, looks like Tenn-kun is done.” Yukio pulls the small microphone closer to his lips and presses the button that enables him to be heard from the recording booth. “Tenn-kun, good job! You sound beautiful as always!”

“Hm?” Tenn takes off his headphones. “ Oh, Yukio. It’s you.” 

“That’s a lukewarm response if I hear one,” Yukio says, “Aren’t you glad to see me?”

Tenn simply gives him a bored look. “Not in particular. I see you every day.”

“I’m hurt! And here I thought I’d tell you the good news that our event place has been booked! Well, okay, not  _ yet _ . But it’s in the talks.” Yukio slings an arm around Ryo’s shoulders. “And once our very rich sponsor comes into the discussion, the place will be as good as ours.”

“That’s good. You’re efficient as always.”

“I try~”

“Yuki-san, Momo-san,” Tenn says, looking at his two producers, “How did I do?”

“You did great,” Momo quickly says, “It’s as though you’ve never gone on a hiatus at all!”

Yuki, however, is less full of praises. Calmly taking the microphone from Momo, he leans forward to speak. “There are parts where you rushed into it a little. Towards the end, your notes are slightly unsteady because of this. You’re not in a competition, Tenn-kun. If you sing like you’re so eager to finish some race, it will reflect in your performance. I wrote this song for it to be appreciated, not to be rushed through.” 

Yukio lets out an impressed whistle while Momo gives his partner a nervous look. “Yuki…” he whispers apprehensively.

Ryo takes a step forward out of instinct. Tenn’s moods are unpredictable when he’s in his state. Sometimes, insults would fly above his head. Sometimes -

Ryo could still feel the ghost of Tenn’s fingers choking his throat when Ryo said something to annoy him. If Yuki were to face Tenn’s wrath, no matter how small it may be, it is unlikely he will escape unscathed.

He sighs in relief when Tenn merely laughs before nodding. “Alright, Mr. Producer. I’ll keep that in mind. Shall I keep going?”

Yuki nods. “One more take.”

“Alright~”

Tenn puts on his headphones and waits for the music to start. Yukio, still amused by what happened, merely shakes his head as he chuckles to himself.

“I best get going. Momo-san and Yuki-san aren’t the only ones who need lunch.”

Ryo’s body tenses. “You’re not going to -”

_ “Relax.”  _ Yukio winks at the chevalier. “I won’t get caught.” 

And with that, he waves cheerfully at the trio before exiting the room. By then, Tenn had begun singing. He seems to be taking Yuki’s advice well, judging from Yuki’s nods of approval.

“That was a very dangerous move you made,” Ryo says quietly.

“What? Making an honest remark? You give him snark sometimes too, don’t you?”

“I’m a chevalier, Yuki-san. I can handle a little beating,” Ryo points out, “You and Momo-san are human. One wrong move and you could risk your head.”

Momo shivers at those words but Yuki keeps his expression schooled and calm. 

“Momo and I are his producers and managers. If he can’t even take constructive criticism, then what kind of singer is he? Human or not, I believe Tenn-kun still values his professionalism. If not, why bother hiring us when he can get anyone off the street to write the song for him.”

Yuki sighs before turning to look at Tenn again. “I won’t do anything reckless if that is what you’re worried about. I know Sato-kun is watching our every move.” He glances at Ryo. “I suppose that is the same for you too, isn’t it? You might be one of Tenn-kun’s, but you feel as every bit of a prisoner here as we are.”

He crosses his arms and looks forward calmly, listening to Tenn’s singing reverberating across the studio.

“If anything, I think the real enemy we should be wary of isn’t Tenn-kun at all.”

It’s been close to a week since the group’s arrival to New York. Despite their efforts, none of the people they contacted seemed to have any idea of Tenn. While Gaku suspects that some might be hiding things - due to client confidentiality or some other factors - it doesn’t change the fact that they are reaching a dead end.

Tenn’s social media remains updated with Tenn’s statuses, but he is clever to leave out clues to where he might be by turning off his location entirely and leaving out any discernible clues from the images he uploaded. He also never shows his face which, to be honest, disappoints Gaku because he had hoped to see how the boy is doing at least, even if it’s just through a photo.

Meanwhile, Riku spends time accompanying Haruka from one place to the other while they continue their mission. Occasionally, Minami and Mitsuki join in. It’s a little funny like this - going on a sightseeing tour while finding people. Riku had been worried that Gaku might look poorly at the antics, but his chevalier merely patted his head when Riku expressed his concerns one night.

“As unconventional as it may be, you should take the time to unwind whenever you can. It’s been a stressful time for us,” he had said, “You deserve some break.”

“...okay.”

Riku doesn’t tell Gaku that each place his visited brings back a wave of memories Riku now wishes he could repress, if it meant the tight feeling in his chest could fade away along with it. 

Now, after another unsuccessful venture, Riku finds himself accompanying Haruka to the theater building he had initially wanted to visit on their second day here but couldn’t due to time constraint. Riku’s hand drifts to his crystal pendant as he trails behind Haruka who is darting everywhere trying to absorb every single detail of the large performance hall they’re currently in.

Being here...of all places -

“This place is massive,” Haruka marvels, “I wonder what kind of performance they hold here.” 

“Musicals, mostly. The occasional operas, as well,” Riku says. From the corner of his eyes, he could see his other self slipping from one row to another, before he skips to the stage. He does a little twirl and spin, grinning widely when he meets Riku’s eyes. “Sometimes, they even hold concerts here.”

“Do you go here often?” Haruka asks curiously.

Riku smiles. He answers by going up to the stage, joining his invisible other self there. One hand still gripping his pendant and the other lacing with his other self’s, he sinks into a bow as though he is ending a grand performance. Then, he slowly lifts his gaze to look at Haruka once more. 

“This was where I made my debut concert.”

“So you  _ are  _ here,” Gaku says, “You’ll get cold, you know.”

That night, after an unsuccessful attempt at finding Riku himself, Nagi finally tells Gaku that he saw Riku taking the elevator to the highest floor. Following Riku’s footsteps and finding the top floor empty, Gaku spots a door leading to a small stairway.

He takes it and successfully finds Riku standing on the hotel rooftop.

“Gaku-san,” Riku says with some surprise, “Were you looking for me?”

“You didn’t return to our room after you and Isumi returned, so I was concerned.” Gaku joins Riku by the metal railing. “You look like you have a lot on your mind. Something wrong?”

Riku smiles softly. “Always straight to the point with you huh, Gaku-san?” He looks at the scenery stretched in front of them again. “I was just...reminiscing, that’s all. I haven’t been in New York for quite a while, and yet I feel really nostalgic.”

“New York was where you made your debut as a singer, right?”

“Mm. Ryo-san took me here and managed me under his company. Back then, it was just me and Iori and...well, looking at it now, Ryo-san basically raised us, didn’t he? He gave us food and shelter and proper education and he let me sing as much as I wanted. He even taught Iori a thing or two about producing.”

There is a slight pause before Riku continues. “New York was also where I met Sougo-san for the first time and...where I turned him into my first chevalier.”

Gaku hears a soft intake of breath.

“I’m sorry,” comes Riku’s next shuddered words, “It’s just that going around visiting places in New York just...reminds me of certain things. All those years ago, in my subconscious effort to protect myself from getting hurt, I acted indifferent and playful towards Iori and Sougo, using them for my own needs. But to be honest, because my humanity was still switched on, I can’t pretend that I didn’t develop some fondness for them.”

Riku clutches the railing tighter. “When Sougo-san killed himself when Tenn-nii’s chevalier died, there was a moment where I felt really shocked. I was at a loss for words. Maybe that should have been my first clue that I was still...very much more human than I thought I was.” He looks at Gaku. “When you left me for Tenn-nii, I was angry and betrayed. All the emotions I thought I had learnt to let go off.”

“Nanase…”

“I let Yuki-san and Momo-san leave before my final concert in Paris, and made sure Ryo-san did the same. I...prepared things for Iori and Tenn-nii as well, like I told you before. You, as well. Back then...I thought… Ah, I’m still the same kid as I was all those years before despite all the terrible things I did. Too loving for his own good.”

Riku lets out another shuddered breath. “But now, visiting the city where everything changed for the better for me and having all these  _ memories  _ of what Iori and I used to do - from the theater I performed at, to the restaurant Iori used to love, to the museum Sougo told me he took inspirations from -...I realized that.... The clues to my humanity had manifested much earlier. I just...failed to notice it.”

His vision suddenly turns blurry, just as his chest tightens. His hand grips the pendant tighter - so much that the edges start to hurt his palm.

“I just...feel so guilty,” Riku chokes out, “That it took me that long to realize this. That no matter how indifferent towards my chevaliers, I truly did care for them. Iori. Sougo-san.” He directs his watery gaze at Gaku. “I wonder if they even knew this.” He shows Gaku the pendant around his neck. “I wonder if  _ Iori _ even knew he was more than just someone useful to me. That he was _ loved _ .”

Riku finally breaks at the last word and Gaku is quick to gather his King into his arms. He stands there silently, holding Riku close as the boy finally breaks down in tears. 

Once Riku calms down, the pair takes a walk down a path in a nearby park. The night air is cold but comfortable, with Riku standing close to Gaku for additional warmth. Given the hour, the park is also quite isolated, with the nearest person being a good few feet or so away from them. 

“I’m sorry you had to see that,” Riku murmurs, “I don’t know what came over me.”

“It’s good to release all the pent up feelings every now and then,” Gaku comforts, “I could taste it in your blood a week ago that you were uneasy about something. How do you feel now?”

“A little better,” Riku admits, “It’s funny how all I needed was just a good cry.”

“Crying does wonders.”

“While we walk...do you want to hear stories of my time in New York?” Riku asks shyly, “I remember I showed you memories of my time here, but I glossed over some details.”

“If you’re willing to tell me,” Gaku replies.

Riku nods. “I do.”

However, just as he is about to get to it, the hackles on his back rise in warning. Gaku also tenses, his eyes glowing blue instinctively. 

“Oh my, what a coincidence.”

Riku and Gaku whirl around at the sound of that familiar voice.

Gaku is the first one to speak, his tone filled with incredulity. 

_ “Tenn?!” _

“Bingo,” Tenn grins, “Long time no see, Gaku.” He turns his head towards Riku. “And you as well, little brother.”

Riku is about to reply when he notices the person standing beside Tenn. His mouth falls open in shock.

_ “Ryo-san!” _

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I updated the chapter count ^^
> 
> Kudos/comments/bookmarks are appreciated and you can find me on twitter at @tennssi0907 ~!


	15. fourteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Gore

**Chapter fourteen**

  
  


It is after Tenn’s recording session when Yukio comes back bearing a gift.

Tenn is lounging on the sofa when Yukio walks up to him carrying a long object in his hands. He places it on the table in front of Tenn before grinning at the young King. Tenn looks at the object with a raised eyebrow, giving Yukio a questioning look afterwards.

“What’s this?” he asks.

“Do you remember that old katana of yours in Japan? The one you said you missed so much?” Yukio asks in return.

“Oh that? Hm, yeah. It’s a shame we couldn’t take it from Gaku’s apartment before we left for America. The katana you gave me is decent enough, but I’ve grown attached to that weapon. Even though it was given by that useless chevalier of mine.”

Now, it’s Yukio’s turn to raise an eyebrow. “Kujou-san gave it to you?”

Tenn studies his nails lazily, pausing to smile at Ryo when he enters the room with a tray carrying a single wine glass. The wine glass is filled to the brim with what looked and smelled like blood. Ryo lets Tenn kiss him on the cheek before the King takes the wine glass and sips its contents.

“Mm? Yeah, he did. It was around my 16th birthday when I formally completed my training under him when he gifted it to me. I didn’t like receiving anything from him in general because I know he would find a way to use his kindness against me but…” Tenn hums to himself. “Well, I grew attached to it over the years. Oh well, I’m sure Gaku is keeping it safe.”

He moves to sit properly on the sofa, carrying the wine glass lazily with one hand. He jerks his chin towards the black object on the table. “But anyway, back to the subject in hand. What is that?”

Even Ryo is looking at it curiously now. 

“Why don’t you take a look?” Yukio suggests, “I got it just for you, Tenn-kun.”

“How curious. You’re normally not the gifting kind. If this is one of your unfunny jokes, I’m not in the mood for it,” Tenn says.

“How cruel. I may not be as rich as your handsome chevalier, but I did give you some luxuries every now and then. Enough small talk. Why don’t you open it?”

“If you insist.” Tenn hands Ryo his wine glass before reaching out to tug the black blanket away from the object. The moment he sees the shiny gleam of metal and the bright shine of the ruby encrusted at the object’s handle, his pink eyes widen in interest. “Yukio, you did  _ not. _ ”

“I didn’t fly to Japan and take it from Yaotome-kun, if that’s what you’re thinking,” Yukio says while Tenn takes the katana into his hand. “So I went ahead and ordered an exact copy.” He winks at Ryo. “The invoice will be sent to you, of course.”

Ryo makes a face. “You’re going to bill a katana to an entertainment company? You’re not doing a good job at keeping things discreet.”

“I’m talking about your  _ personal _ funds, silly,” Yukio says, “And don’t make that face. I’ve worked for Kujou-san. Cracking information is one of my specialties. And what’s the problem?” He grins maliciously. “You bought Riku-kun his own sword before, didn’t you? Though we don’t know what that brat has done with it since.”

“Gaku has it,” Tenn replies absently, still admiring his new katana, “For safekeeping, of course. With his lack of memories, Riku also lost his skill to fight with one so it’s useless in his hands. Of course...we don’t know the current situation.”

Ryo keeps his expression calm, knowing that Yukio and Tenn find some twisted enjoyment in his reactions whenever Riku is mentioned. He simply shrugs and confirmed the fact. 

“Thank you, Yukio,” Tenn says with a playful smile, “You’re doing so well in earning my favor. Makes me almost wish that you’re my real chevalier.”

“A praise from Tenn-kun! I feel like I’ve ascended to heaven!”

“In fact,” Tenn continues, “I’m so happy that I want to test this new weapon of mine out right away. You’ll come with me right, Tsukumo-san?” Tenn asks, smiling at Ryo.

“Where are we going?” Ryo asks guardedly.

Tenn maintains his smile, his head turning slightly towards a certain direction where a faint but familiar presence could be felt. 

“A walk in the park.”

Riku could barely believe his eyes.

Tenn is standing before him with Ryo by his side. The pair look as though they’re on a stroll of their own, if it weren’t for the fact that there is a katana strapped to his side. Tenn smiles when he catches Riku looking at it, taking it from the scabbard before brandishing it towards Riku and Gaku. The latter pair step back instinctively, wariness dancing in their eyes.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Tenn purrs, “Yukio got one exactly like I kept in Japan. I kept saying I missed my weapon so he went ahead and had one made for me.” He giggles as he glances at Ryo. “Well, I suppose it’s more accurate to say...Yukio ordered it while Tsukumo-san here paid for it. I just received it today and I thought I’d take some fresh air and try it out.”

Gaku is the first one to break out from his reverie. 

“Tenn, where  _ were  _ you?” he asks urgently, “We’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

“Here and there,” Tenn says, unconcerned, “I miss you too, Gaku. Tsukumo-san and Yukio make great company, but they’re not you.” Tenn moves towards Gaku, his footsteps light. “Gaku, why don’t you come with me -”

Riku stands in between them before Tenn could come close to Gaku. He extends his arms while continuing to look at his older twin brother warily. His reaction only causes Tenn to smile wider, wearing an expression that is so unlike the Tenn Riku knows. His bright eyes glimmer in the dark, filled with anticipation.

“What’s wrong, Riku? You won’t even let me hug my lover?” Tenn mocks, “You already stole him once. Are you going to steal him again?”

Riku needs to keep calm. He could feel his other self awakening inside of him, roused by the presence of his brother. If Riku loses control of his emotions like the first time he woke up, he knows he will do something he will definitely regret.

“You’re not yourself, Tenn-nii,” Riku whispers, “I don’t want you to end up hurting Gaku-san,”

“That’s rich coming from you, little brother,” Tenn sneers, “Weren’t you the one who hurt him first?”

Riku flinches, unable to refute Tenn’s statement. Tenn laughs at Riku’s reaction, delighted by his brother’s troubled look. He skips back to Ryo, going close enough to press his body against his chevalier before throwing his arms around him. 

“Tenn-kun -” Ryo protests, but Tenn presses a single finger to his lips.

“It’s alright, Riku,” Tenn says, glancing back at his little brother, “I’ve returned your actions back to you. How did it feel, watching your lover being turned into my chevalier right in front of your eyes? Unpleasant, isn’t it?” 

Riku tightens his jaw, avoiding eye contact with Ryo. He knows he will lose his will if he so much looks at the man - that’s how much Ryo makes him weak. “You don’t have to do this,” Riku pleads, “You don’t have to stay with Yukio. He did nothing but hurt us both. Come back to us, Tenn-nii.”

“That’s right, Tenn. I don’t know what Sato did or said to you, but he’s deceiving you,” Gaku chimes in, “He’s doing this to hurt Nanase.” He throws a desperate glance at Ryo. “You don’t agree with this, right, Tsukumo-san?!”

“I -” There is a troubled look on Ryo’s face. “Of course I don’t. But I -”

“Tsukumo-san doesn’t have a will other than mine,” Tenn says, “As it should be between Kings and chevaliers.”

Riku sucks in a harsh breath. “That’s not true.”

“Is it? Isn’t that how you used to treat your chevaliers in the past, Riku?” Tenn mocks, “So much that they’re willing to throw everything and  _ die  _ for you. Oh, I’ve forgotten.” His eyes twinkle with malice. “One of them went ahead and got himself killed as an act of defiance, didn’t he? Osaka Sougo-san, was it? You killed mine, so he killed himself in return.”

A wave of pain crashes onto Riku at the memory, making him stagger back. Gaku’s hands are quick to support as Riku clutches his head, wincing at the images of Sougo stabbing himself with a sword laced with Tenn’s blood, crystallizing beside Tamaki when he finally died.

“You...cared for your chevaliers...in the past,” Riku grits out, “You were upset when Tamaki-san died! You had more compassion than I did!”

“Because I was weak,” Tenn says, “Not anymore. Now...the weak one is  _ you _ .”

He turns back to Ryo, caressing Ryo’s cheek lovingly. “My chevalier, why don’t we show your lover just how much you belong to me?”

Ryo frowns. “Tenn-kun, wait - grk!”

Without giving Ryo much room for protest, Tenn tugs Ryo down, makes sure the angles of their bodies ensure that Riku would see  _ everything _ , before sinking his teeth into Ryo’s throat.

At that moment, it’s as though everything came to a complete standstill to Riku.

He stares in shocked silence as Tenn drinks from Ryo, who is powerless to stop him. Riku could see the man’s hands raising as though to push Tenn away, but it takes only Tenn deepening his fangs into Ryo for the man to drop his hands uselessly back to his side. His face twists in pain - Tenn is clearly making the bite experience anything but pleasant.

Inside of him, his other self awakes completely and along with it, a spark of anger.

“Nanase -” Gaku warns, but Riku barely hears him. 

It’s the sight of Ryo being forced to endure this that causes the long buried anger and pain inside of Riku to unearth once more. He could feel his eyes burning as his pupils slowly turned brilliant blue. He doesn’t have a weapon, but he had survived many years without one. The only reason he even took up a sword in the first place was to mimic his brother when he first saw him again.

Monarchs chiropterans never really need weapons to fight. They’re not Schiffs. They’re the strongest of all chiropterans.

Riku does not need a measly sword.

He hears a giggle. One he recognizes as his own - elicited from deep within him by his other self, pleased by the turn of events. When Tenn releases Ryo, the boy cups Ryo’s cheeks with his hands, taking advantage of Ryo’s temporary dazed condition to kiss him on the lips.

With his fingers elongated into long talons, Riku raises his hands and lunges towards Tenn.

“Stay away from him!” he screams.

“Nanase, you can’t!” Gaku shouts, “There are people around!”

But Riku is already beginning his attack, reaching towards his brother with the intention to attack him. With a thrilling laughter, Tenn pushes Ryo away to dodge the attack, at the same time brandishing his katana. Gaku swoops forward to steady Ryo when the man stumbles his way. 

“Are you okay?” Gaku asks urgently.

“He wasn’t drinking too deeply,” Ryo says roughly, “I’ll be fine. Never mind me. The two of them -”

The two chevaliers lift their heads to look at the scene before them. Riku, already losing grip on his emotions, is madly attacking Tenn in a frenzy, who parries every single one of his attacks effortlessly with his katana. Metal clashes against sharp claws several times before the twins jump away, taking only a second to gather themselves before they lunge forward into an attack again.

“We can’t let people see them,” Ryo says, “We have to prevent people from coming here.”

“Don’t you worry about that,” a voice drawls from above. Gaku and Ryo look up and see Yukio relaxing on a tree branch, watching the battle unfold with interested eyes. “I already blocked the path from the public. No one will interrupt the two Kings’ battle.” 

“You-!” Gaku growls, but Yukio merely waves dismissively at him. 

“I’m not interested in fighting you,” Yukio says, “I’m more interested in watching those two.”

Despite their best judgement, Gaku and Ryo follow the direction of Yukio’s gaze. Tenn and Riku are already in the heat of their battle but it’s clear that one of them is holding back. Gaku fidgets worriedly where he stands, his eyes flicking to follow the quick movement of the twins. 

“Riku-kun’s grown soft,” Yukio remarks, “From the things I’ve heard, he was so ruthless. And yet…”

“He doesn’t want to hurt Tenn-kun,” Ryo says.

Yukio smiles in amusement. “That’s a sentiment Tenn-kun doesn’t share.”

The ground shakes when Riku is thrown against the tree, the boy grunting in pain when his back collides loudly against the bark of the tree. Both Gaku and Ryo take a step forward, hands already reaching out towards the boy.

“Tsukumo-san,” Yukio says lazily, “Tenn-kun won’t be happy seeing you reaching out for another King, you know.”

Ryo shoots Yukio a glare. “I was never a willing member of your entourage, Sato-kun.”

“Heh, so are you just going to betray Tenn-kun in a heartbeat? How cold, Tsukumo-san. I’m pretty sure even Yaotome-san here lasted longer with Riku-kun than you do with Tenn-kun.”

Gaku narrows his eyes at Yukio. “How do you even  _ know  _ that?”

Yukio gives him a teeth-baring grin. “I have my resources.”

“You -”

Gaku is interrupted by another loud sound of something crashing to the ground, followed by delighted laughter. Tenn recovers quickly from being thrown to the ground by his brother to slash his katana towards him. Gaku glances at the entrance of the pathway that separates this part of the park from everything else. Despite Yukio’s reassurance, Gaku still worries for any potential eye witnesses.

“I told you not to worry,” Yukio says, “If anyone comes in here, I’ll just kill them where they stand.”

Gaku never has the chance to answer Yukio because there is a sudden desperate cry from Riku. He realizes too late that Riku is now breathing quite harshly, half-crouched by the base of a tree. His claws have reverted back to normal human nails and the blue in his eyes are fading away. Sweat is dripping down his chin.

“Enough already, Tenn-nii,” Riku pleads, “We don’t need to do this. If you’re angry at me for the years before, I’ll apologize! I’ll sink to my knees and plead for forgiveness! Just please don’t listen to that man!”

Riku points a shaky finger towards Yukio, sending him a glare which Yukio merely smiles at. “He’s the one who tortured me at the lab, Tenn-nii! The night of my escape, I thought I killed him but he -” He sucks in a harsh breath as he gets back to his feet. “He somehow survived. He’s tricking you, Tenn-nii! This isn’t yourself!”

He flinches when Tenn suddenly thrusts the tip of his katana inches away from his throat. 

“Hm, is that so?” Tenn says in a flat tone, “But the you from two years ago was real, wasn’t it? Slaughtering people for fun, playing with people’s feelings. Taking Gaku away from me for spite. That was real, wasn’t it?”

“I-I…” Riku swallows, “It’s...I’ve changed, Tenn-nii. I was hurt and betrayed so -”

“So you hurt me in return,” Tenn finishes with a cold smile, “All my suffering...is all because of you. That night in Paris, I was a fool to not kill you. I should have taken advantage of your soft heart and stab it right through.”

“Tenn!” Gaku shouts in a stricken tone, “You don’t mean that!” 

“Oh, but I do,” Tenn says, “You people keep saying Yukio did something to me. I suppose he did. He taught me I can shut off my humanity - get rid of stupid, weak feelings that make me blind to a monster you are.” Riku flinches again when the tip of the katana now presses lightly against the skin of his throat. “I should have done this two years ago. Turn it off and get rid of the source of my misery.”

Tenn turns to Gaku, smiling sweetly. “Then, the two of us can finally be together, uninterrupted. You and me, and my brand new chevalier, Tsukumo-san. Yukio can stay if he wants. He can be our butler or a servant.”

“Hey now,” Yukio says lightly.

“You’re right, Gaku,” Tenn says, pressing the katana again. This time, tiny droplets of blood begin to trickle down Riku’s throat. Riku winces at the pain. “Maybe I don’t need to go this far. I don’t need to follow Yukio’s grand plan. If I could just…” He looks at Riku. “Get rid of this troublesome pest right here right now, I wouldn’t need to.”

“T-Tenn-nii…” Riku chokes. He makes a move to get off the ground but Tenn quickly stabs him right in the shoulder to hold him in place. Riku screams in pain, his voice bouncing off the trees. 

“Nanase!”

“Riku!” Ryo screams. He throws a desperate look at Tenn, inching closer to him. “Tenn-kun, please stop.  _ Please.  _ We don’t have to do this!”

“Tsukumo-san, do you know what Riku did when Gaku became my knight in shining armour in Paris, betraying him for me?” Tenn says coldly, “He threatened to  _ kill  _ him.” His bright red eyes flash in warning. “You’re a handsome man, Tsukumo-san, and I’m rather fond of you, but don’t forget that chevaliers are expendable. Annoy me enough and your head will no longer be on your shoulders.”

“Ooh, Tenn-kun is angry,” Yukio singsongs.

Tenn feels a tug on his katana. He glances downwards to see Riku now gripping the blade of his katana, roaring in pain as he forces the blade out from his shoulders. Tenn stumbles back a little at the force, his red eyes narrowing.

Still too weak to stand, Riku manages into a half crouch instead. “You’re right, Tenn-nii. All the horrible things I did in the past...that was all me. I won’t deny it. But…” He spits out the dirty blood lodged in his throat before glaring at Tenn. “Unlike the current you, I still had my humanity back then, as buried as it was. And before that man can take advantage of you more, I will turn yours back on. Even if it hurts you!”

Tenn smiles coldly once more. “So eager to hurt me, Riku. You really are…” He slices his hand with the katana, staining the blade with his blood. “...Such a ruthless monster!”

“Tenn, no!” Gaku cries out.

Riku raises his arms instinctively. He needs to move or else he will get hit and with a bloodstained blade like that, Riku knows he will not survive. He forces himself to move instead, but Tenn is quick to intercept him by stepping on his legs. Though Riku doesn’t hear a crack, the force is hard enough to draw another cry of pain from him. Losing his balance, he crashes onto his back, just in time to see Tenn lunging forward with his katana.

Riku closes his eyes and waits for the inevitable pain, mentally sending his apologies to Gaku and Ryo if he doesn’t survive -

\-- only for the pain to never come. He feels something hard pressed against his chest before he hears a shattering sound.

“What -” Tenn gasps, followed by a loud cry of protest when Ryo takes advantage of his stagger to pull him away. “Tsukumo-san, let go!” he screeches.

“Nanase!” Gaku rushes towards Riku, standing in front of him to shield him from Tenn.

Riku dazedly sits back up, quickly realizing that while the katana hadn’t missed him, it hit something else instead of his heart. With a sinking feeling in his gut, he quickly reaches under his shirt, tugging at the chain around his neck to pull out the red blood crystal hanging at the end.

The blood crystal that is now badly cracked from the force of the katana.

“No,” Riku whispers, “No, no, no -!”

He only has time to hold the crystal on his palm before it shatters into pieces completely. “No!” Riku screams, trembling all over, “Iori!  _ Iori! _ ”

Iori’s crystal is now nothing but shattered small pieces, too tiny to ever be put together.

“Nanase…” Gaku gives him a pained look, sinking down to a crouch beside his King. “Nanase, hey, listen to me.  _ Please. _ ”

Riku is too hysterical to really listen to him, tears quickly forming in his eyes. “Gaku-san, Iori is -! His crystal...the only thing that’s left of him, it’s -!”

“Gone!” Tenn laughs from Ryo’s grasp, his expression remorseless, “Iori died for you again, Riku! Even after his death, he still protects you. What a lucky monster you are, Riku!” He pulls himself away from Ryo and steps forward closer to Riku. He gives his little brother a taunting look. “You’re so cruel, Riku. Iori had to die for you  _ twice. _ ”

_ “He’s not gone!” _ Riku shrieks, “I can still -” He looks pathetic like this, desperately trying to piece the broken fragments back together. “I can still…” He lets out a strangled sob, whirring to look at Gaku. “Gaku-san, we can fix it, right? Right?! Iori will be okay...I know he will.”

Gaku couldn’t bear to see the look on Riku’s face. “Nanase, I...I’m sorry. But it doesn’t look like that’s possible -”

“No, no!” Riku shakes his head. “You’re lying. You’re lying!”

Iori’s pendant had been the source of his comfort for a long time. To have it ripped away from him like this. Riku doesn’t think his heart could bear it. Everything hurts so  _ much.  _ He could feel his grip on his emotions rapidly slipping away as he grips the jagged tiny pieces in his hand, unaware of the cuts on his palms those fragments give him. 

“Oh, stop being so pathetic,” Tenn sneers, “He’s gone permanently, Riku. Accept it.” He readies his katana again. “If you’re so sad, I’ll gladly send you away next. Just be a good boy and die, okay?”

_ “Are you going to let him defeat you just like that?” _ Riku’s other self purrs into Riku’s ear,  _ “When you have chosen to be King once more?” _

“I-I…” Riku stammers, tears streaming down his cheeks. He could distantly hear voices call his name but all he could focus on was the broken crystal pendant in his hands and the rapid, echoing beating of his heart.

_ “We’re the same person, you and I,”  _ his other self coos,  _ “Accept me fully. Not just as memories from the past but your self. Accept your strength as a King and show your brother just the kind of monster you are.” _

Riku grits his teeth, his vision blurring. His eyes begin to burn blue again. He thinks he hears Gaku’s voice urgently calling his name.

_ “Accept me, Riku. Be a King again,” _ his other self coaxes, _ “For Iori.” _

“Die!” Tenn cries, swinging his katana towards Riku.

_ “Shut up!” _ Riku roars, roughly pushing Gaku to the side to block Tenn’s katana with his elongated claws.  _ “Shut up, shut up, shut up!” _

The tiny fragments in his hands now scatter to the ground as Riku, driven by grief and anger, begins to attack his brother with renewed determination and viciousness. Although Tenn seems taken aback by the sudden fierceness, he nevertheless seems thrilled by it, returning Riku’s attacks with as much force as he receives. The red in his eyes seem to burn brighter just as his fangs elongate. Gaku looks at Riku only to find his King’s fangs have elongated as well, signifying the degree of his anger.

“Come at me, Riku!” Tenn laughs in delight. “Become the monster worthy of killing!”

“I’ll kill you first!” Riku screams.

Gaku feels himself being roughly pulled to his feet by Ryo who then drags him to the side. “It’s too dangerous to be dazing around like that!” Ryo shouts, “To be in the battlefield of two Kings -”

“How beautiful!” Yukio marvels, his eyes alight with excitement. He now stands upright on the tree branch, witnessing the battle unfolding below him eagerly. “This is it! A glimpse of what I’m looking for! The cycle of hatred between two Kings...the fate they’re meant to have...it’s simply wonderful!”

Gaku is hit with a sense of deja vu. Two years ago, he had seen this before. Once at the apartment garden filled with angel statues. Once more at the opera house, with human-turned-chevaliers as their audience. Gaku feels an ache in his hands. He still remembers the rush of battle running through him as he fought Iori while their Kings battled on stage.

“I won’t fight you,” Ryo says, as if reading his mind, “We need to find a way to stop them! There are people around and if anyone sees them…” He glances at Yukio. “He won’t spare any survivors.”

Gaku tightens his jaw. The thing is…

How  _ does  _ one stop the battle between Kings? The last person who did it had been Iori and he…

Gaku’s eyes stray to the broken pendant on the ground. 

_ “Don’t get yourself hurt in the process,” _ Riku had murmured,  _ “Don’t be a reckless chevalier. Like...Iori.” _

_ Nanase, I...I’m sorry. I might...have to break that promise. _

Meanwhile, Riku manages to throw Tenn off balance by parrying his attack with his claws, gripping the blade and throwing to the side with force. Tenn catches himself on time before he collies against the tree, launching himself towards Riku once more with bright-eyed determination.

“This is the monster I know!” Tenn cries happily, “The one that caused every single one of my misery!”

Metal clashes with claws. Tenn brings back his leg to kick Riku on the stomach, sending the younger King flying. Riku slams painfully against the ground right in between the two chevaliers. Ignoring Gaku and Ryo’s pained cries of his name, Riku flies back into battle, the burning blue in his eyes signalling his lack of control on himself.

“Shut up!” Riku screeches like a wild animal, “I will never forgive you for what you did to Iori!”

“You killed him yourself,” Tenn sneers, “It’s what you deserved.”

Unable to take it any longer, Ryo uses his newfound strength to jump onto the tree branch, slamming Yukio against the bark of the tree with his massive monster-like hand, the red in his eyes vibrant as he glares at the man. Yukio’s eyes glow red as well, though he merely smirks at Ryo instead of returning his glare.

“Stop this,” Ryo hisses.

“Why don’t you do it?” Yukio taunts, “You’re his chevalier, aren’t you? Prove to me you aren’t weak.”

“I don’t need to prove  _ anything  _ to you, you little brat,” Ryo scowls, tightening his hold on Yukio, “You turned off his humanity. Turn it back on. _ Now _ . You’re not bound to him, fake chevalier, so you don’t have to obey his commands.  _ Do it _ .”

“Tenn-kun...will have...to do it on his own, I’m afraid,” Yukio laughs, his voice strained from being choked. “I merely persuaded him. He’ll need to be persuaded back. You do it, Tsukumo-san, if you’re so...determined. Ah but…” Yukio smiles knowingly. “I wonder if Tenn-kun will even listen to you. Your heart is not fully his, after all. You said...you’re bound to his orders. That’s not...necessarily true.”

He points a finger at Gaku. “He betrayed Riku-kun for Tenn-kun once. Are you strong enough...to do the same to your King…?”

Ryo narrows his eyes dangerously. “You...I should kill you right now.”

Yukio’s eyes are dancing with mockery. “I killed my own Queen, Tsukumo-san. I’d like to see you  _ try _ .”

“Grk…” Anger bubbling in his chest, Ryo draws his hand back, ready to strike Yukio down. He is interrupted by a certain voice.

“Tenn, no!”

Things that happened next...happened much too fast. 

In the heat of the battle, after fooling Riku into thinking he had the upper half, Tenn maneuvers around Riku in a skillful and graceful dance, grabbing him by his hair. Curling his upper lip into a mocking sneer when Riku cries out in pain, Tenn flings him forward in one smooth motion. Although Riku does not hit anything in impact, the force is enough to stagger him greatly.

Exhausted from the fight with his suddenly much stronger older brother, Riku takes too long to regain his bearings. His vision is blurry and his head is pounding with pain. His breathing comes out in short, harsh pants. His other self is growling menacingly when like a rabid dog inside of him, fangs fully elongated and talons clawing the ground. 

_ “Kill him, kill him, kill him!” _

His legs won’t move. Dammit, why is he so weak? He shouldn’t be this weak. He killed people without blinking in the past. He nearly killed Tenn.  _ So why can’t he move?! _

“Bye bye, little brother~” Tenn croons, “How does it feel to be on the losing side now?”

Tenn is already swinging his katana down. Two years ago, at the opera house in Paris, Riku would have let him pierce him with that sword. He would have let Tenn kill him, because despite his pain and hatred, Riku could not let go of his humanity and kill his own brother. He could not let go of his love for Tenn.

This time, Riku wonders if it’s the same.

He braces himself for the impact. Now that Iori’s pendant is no longer with him to protect him, Riku cannot be saved. Ryo and Gaku are too far away and Yukio will surely intervene. Is this how he meets his end, at a park in New York with no meaning to his life?

He closes his eyes and -

There is a sound of metal hitting flesh, but Riku knows it’s not his own. 

“Gaku, you  _ idiot _ .”

Gaku?

No.

No,no, no -

Riku opens his eyes and sure enough, almost his entire vision is covered by the expanse of Gaku’s wide back. This feels too familiar. Too soon. Too close. Two years ago, it was Iori’s back. Riku couldn’t take it if Gaku, too -

“Gaku-san!” he screams, getting to his feet and running around the man. “Gaku-san, are you -”

A strangled sob escapes his lips. 

The katana, laced with Tenn’s blood, had stabbed Gaku right in the eye, presenting a gruesome sight. The tip of the katana is still embedded in the socket until Tenn pulls it out. Blood sprays from the wound, splattering all over Riku.

“You fool,” Tenn scolds, “Why did you do that for? Now you’ll die a slow and painful death for nothing.”

His words cause a large crack to appear in Riku’s mind. Even his other self is stunned speechless by the turn of events.

_ “Gaku-san!” _ Riku wails, “Gaku-san, oh my god, Gaku-san, I...I -!”

Ryo runs towards the scene at the commotion and blanches at the sight that awaits him. Gaku is bleeding heavily from his wound, but even through all the blood from his ruined eye, Ryo could see it. The crack forming on his skin.

“Oh, how honorable!” Yukio says gleefully,clapping his hands together, “And yet another chevalier will die for Riku-kun!”

“No! No, no!” Riku cries out painfully, “Gaku-san!” 

His wails bounce off the trees, no doubt echoing across the park. Ryo could hear murmurs from the distance. People are starting to get curious. He can’t let any of them come closer, and yet. 

And yet he’s torn between staying and leaving, because how could he leave Riku like this, heart breaking from Gaku’s fatal injury?

Tenn looks at Gaku, who has fallen to his knees on the ground, with a cold expression. “Why would you do that, Gaku? You didn’t need to die for this monster. You’re just proving to me that Riku is the source of everyone’s misery.”

Despite his injury, Gaku still finds the energy to chuckle, as tired as it may sound.

“You’re wrong, Tenn,” he chokes out, “And you need...to realize this. That man...Sato Yukio is messing with your head. He made you...believe things...that aren’t true.” He looks at Tenn, ignoring the pain from his ruined eye and the cracks on his skin. “Nanase isn’t your source of misery. The real one...was Kujou...and you killed him.” 

He pushes himself to his feet, stumbling to grab Tenn’s shoulders, smearing blood on the boy’s shirt. 

“Wake up, Tenn!” Gaku urges, “Wake up and turn your humanity back on, dammit!”

“I need to kill Riku first,” Tenn replies calmly, “And it’s a shame you won’t be alive to see it.”

Gaku smirks. “What makes...you think...I’m going to die here?”

Tenn frowns. “What?”

Riku lifts his head to look at Gaku with teary eyes. “Gaku-san…?”

“Tenn, you’re a fool if you think...I’m going to die and leave you like this. Leave you...under the control of that man.” 

Yukio laughs. “What are you going to do, Yaotome-san? Tenn-kun’s blood may not be in your heart yet, but it will soon get there. You’ve already begun crystalizing -” He pauses, his eyes widen in realization. “You  _ wouldn’t _ -”

Gaku smiles. “I didn’t...just spend my years as a chevalier...remaining ignorant. I, too, have read some things.”

“Gaku, what are you -”

Tenn is stunned into silence when Gaku suddenly digs his fingers into his bleeding eye socket.

“Gaku-san, wait -!” Riku screams, “What are you doing?!” 

“Yaotome-kun?!” Ryo cries in bewilderment, “Oi, oi, what the hell are you -”

Gaku ignores the both of them and digs his fingers further into his eye socket, biting down on the pain as his fingers get deeper. He finally closes it around his ruined eye - the source of Tenn’s blood in his system - before turning to Riku, smiling.

“Living,” he answers, before  _ pulling  _ his ruined eye out.

_ “No!”  _ Riku screams, “Gaku-san!”

Tenn is completely stunned at the sight, his face paling. He drops his katana to the ground in shock before his hands raise to cover his mouth.

“G-Gaku,” he stammers, “W-what…”

“His wounds,” Ryo says urgently, urging Riku to look, “Riku, look. His wounds...Taking out his eye...it stopped the crystallization.”

Riku hurries to see what Ryo had pointed out and sure enough, with the source of Tenn’s blood gone, the cracks on Gaku have started to recede. Gaku drops the ruined eye onto the grass before his bloody hand reach under his shirt and tugs on the metal chain around his neck.

“Tenn…” Gaku says hoarsely, “...before that...guy...takes you away again...I’m going to return this to you.”

Dazed, Tenn doesn’t fight back when Gaku, with all the strength he has left, loops the metal chain around Tenn’s neck.

Hanging from the metal chain is the ring Gaku once gave Tenn for their anniversary. 

Looking at the ring is what finally causes Tenn to snap.

_ “No! No! Nooo!!” _ he wails, clutching his head. He staggers away from Gaku, causing the man to slump forward before finally hitting the ground. 

“Yaotome-kun!” Ryo rushes forward and gathers Gaku in his arms. “Oh, thank goodness. He’s breathing.”

“Gaku-san will be okay?” Riku asks tearfully.

“He’s unconscious, but we should hurry back and -”

Tenn continues to wail, falling to his knees on the ground as he clutches his head and tugs on his hair. “W-what’s going on?! W-why...why does everything hurt?!” 

Riku whirls around, ready to reach out for his brother. The events clear his mind enough for the initial anger to subside and be replaced by a renewed worry for Tenn. 

“It h-hurts...my head...my heart...everything hurts!” Tenn screams.

“It’s your emotions coming back,” Riku cries out, “Tenn-nii, turn it back on. Turn your humanity back on before it forces you to. Tenn -”

He is about to reach out for Tenn only to be pushed by a sudden force. 

“Yukio, you!” Riku growls.

“Sorry, Riku-kun. I will need your brother for a little bit longer,” Yukio says cheerfully. He places a hand over Tenn’s eyes and whispers into his ear.

_ “Sleep.” _

His words still heavy in their influence on Tenn’s mind, Tenn crumples readily into Yukio’s arms like he did in Japan. Now unconscious, Tenn is gathered properly into Yukio’s arms, picks up Tenn’s fallen katana before Yukio turns to Ryo.

“You coming?”

Ryo glares heatedly at him. “I will get Tenn-kun back one way or another.”

Yukio grins. “I’ll take that as a no. Fine then. Betray your King. You’ll be first on his to-kill list after Riku-kun, then.”

He winks at Riku. “We’ll meet again when the plan is ready. See you then.”

“Wait! Yukio, you bastard, wait!” Riku screams but it’s too late. Yukio is already gone with Tenn in his arms. 

“Should I chase him?” Ryo asks.

Riku shakes his head. “Gaku-san is injured. And people are coming. We have to get out of here.”

Ryo nods and gently carries the unconscious Gaku before turning to Riku. “Let’s go.”

Riku is about to nod back when he spots something in the grass. A single red fragment from Iori’s blood crystal - too tiny to make anything out of it, but nevertheless…

After picking up the fragment and holding it tightly in his hand, Riku turns to Ryo.

“Let’s go.” 

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hehe
> 
> oops


	16. fifteen

**Chapter fifteen**

  
  


When Minami exits the hotel room with a somber face, Riku’s heart drops all the way to his stomach.

“His face is healed,” Minami says, causing Riku to sigh in relief. If it weren’t for Ryo’s arm wrapped around his waist, Riku’s knees would have buckled under him and he would have fallen to the carpeted floor. 

“His eye?” Ryo presses on Riku’s behalf.

“He tore it out to stop the crystallization, so the socket will remain empty. Still, who would have taught that a crystallization can be stopped halfway by just cutting off the affected body part.”

“You would have to be quick,” Riku says in a distant voice, “The venom in a monarch’s blood travels fairly quickly, so it wouldn’t have worked if the affected area is too close to the heart. But since it’s his eye…” Riku lets out a shuddering breath. “May I see him?”

Minami shrugs. “I did what I could. He’s still sleeping, though, so you probably shouldn’t disturb his rest for the night.” He steps forward to squeeze Riku’s shoulder comfortingly. “I’ll go meet up with the rest.”

“Where are you going?” Ryo asks.

“We’re going to see if we can track Yukio’s movements. Rokuya-san checked the address you gave him and the apartment is empty. The two producers are also not in their hotel rooms.”

Ryo pales. “Are they -”

“There were no abnormal signs at both places so we’d like to hope they’re still alive.” Minami considers. “For now.” He sighs. “In any case, you two can go see him, if you’d like. I’m sure Yaotome-san would benefit having his King nearby.”

Riku is already running for the door before Minami could blink, pushing it open before rushing into the room. He stops himself short, slowing down his steps so they are quiet against the carpet, rounding the corners as his eyes immediately seek out the bed at the centre of the room.

Gaku lies on the bed, his arms neatly folded on the blanket covering his chest. He breathes slowly and steadily as he sleeps, unaware of Riku’s presence in the room. Steeling himself, Riku approaches the man and peers at his face.

His skin is free from blood and crystallized cracks and aside from the slight sunken appearance on the affected eye, Gaku looks as though he was never injured in the first place. 

“We can find something to cover his injured eye when he’s awake,” Ryo murmurs behind him, “He may still be handsome, but I doubt Yaotome-kun would like walking around with his empty socket visible.”

Riku knows Ryo is trying to cheer him up by joking but Riku couldn’t even muster a smile. He reaches out to caress Gaku’s hair, feeling the soft strands slip through his fingers.

“It’s my fault,” Riku whispers, “If only I didn’t let my dumb emotions get to me.”

“Don’t say that,” Ryo soothes, “Your emotions mean that your humanity is still in check. That’s a good thing.”

Riku sighs, suddenly looking very tired. “I hope Yuki-san and Momo-san are alright. We have to go rescue them as soon as possible.”

“I’ll help you.”

“Mm.” Riku turns around to look at Ryo in the eye, his lips finally pulling into a small smile. “I couldn’t say it before but… Ryo-san, I’m so happy you’re here again.” He moves to wrap his arms around Ryo’s waist and hugs him close. “I’m glad you’re okay and I…” His hands shake. “I’m sorry. For what happened to you. If I didn’t hesitate back then, you wouldn’t be forcefully bound like this.”

Ryo strokes Riku’s hair. “Hey, in hindsight, I’m not too opposed to being your brother’s chevalier. If he comes back to his senses, that is. Of course, it sucks I could only drink _his_ blood as opposed to yours.”

Riku looks at him with a watery gaze. “You’re alright though, right? Did that bastard make you do anything unsightly? Did...Tenn-nii make you do something you didn’t want?”

Ryo smiles gently, choosing to not tell Riku of the weeks before, when he was forced to kill the innocent for blood. It would cause his young lover more needless worry and guilt, so instead, he takes Riku’s hand and kisses his palm.

“I’m fine. See? My head is still on my shoulders, right? I won’t let myself be bullied by brats.”

“Tenn-nii is not a brat,” Riku mumbles but finally manages a smile. “We should let Gaku-san rest. Nikaido-san booked you another room so…”

“Do you want to stay with Yaotome-kun tonight?”

“...I’ll stay with him for a bit just to make sure he’s alright but…” Riku looks at Ryo shyly. “If it’s alright, I’d like to stay with you for tonight.”

“Riku…”

“Is it...okay?” Riku asks hesitantly.

Ryo smiles softly, cupping Riku’s cheek with one hand before leaning down to kiss the boy on the mouth. Their lips slot perfectly together and Ryo could feel Riku’s body warmth against him and hear the soft thrumming of the boy’s heartbeat. Riku is flushing lightly when Ryo pulls away to press their foreheads together.

His scent envelopes Ryo, giving him a sense of comfort and nostalgia.

It’s been barely two months since they’ve separated, but to Ryo, it felt much too long. From the way Riku chases his lips when they part hint at Riku’s mutual feelings.

“I’ll see you later then,” Ryo murmurs.

“Mm. Please wait for me,” Riku murmurs back.

Riku watches Ryo leave, his heart fluttering in his chest. He takes a deep breath before turning to Gaku again. Slowly, he leans down and whispers into Gaku’s ear.

“Please be okay, Gaku-san,” Riku whispers, “And I…” His chest feels tight when he is instantly reminded of what transpired just mere hours before. “I’m sorry for being so weak.”

He reaches into his pocket and fishes out a small fragment of Iori’s blood crystal - the only remnant he was able to salvage from the battle scene. He places it on the bedside table before stepping back.

“Iori,” he says softly, “For today...and for the past year...thank you for looking out for me. Now...please...look after Gaku-san for me.”

He turns around on his heels and makes his way out of the room.

Ryo’s room is at the end of the hallway, and Riku finds himself taking his time going there. He doesn’t know why he’s so nervous. It’s Ryo. Someone he had known and loved - still loves - for a long time. And now, they’re reunited. Riku shouldn’t be nervous.

And yet he can’t control how loud his heart is beating inside his chest. 

“Calm down,” Riku mumbles to himself, “It’s just Ryo-san.”

_“Our lover,”_ his other self giggles.

“You’re awake?”

_“I’ve always been awake. Since our battle with dear Tenn-nii. Hey.”_ His other self peers at him, smiling from ear to ear. _“Are you going to tell him?”_

Riku frowns. “Tell who what?”

His other self grins wider. _“Tell Ryo-san that you forced Gaku-san to make love to you.”_ He laughs when Riku flinches, dancing around him in a playful twirl. He stops to lean his head on Riku’s shoulder, kissing the boy on the cheek. _“He deserves to know, you know. Besides, it won’t be any different than two years ago when you were still fucking your other chevaliers...and other people. He knew then, didn’t he?”_

He did, but it’s not something they talk about openly. It’s more of...a thing they just know and silently acknowledge. Ryo always knew that Riku had no desire to be tied down back then and Riku heavily implied to Ryo that he’s only after sex and nothing else and it’s something he can and will find from someone else.

They were lovers then, but Riku forced himself to not involve any real feelings. Feelings like love were something Riku could not afford to have, even if his heart secretly yearned for it. 

But they’re different now. Now...Riku _can_ afford to love someone wholeheartedly. And he…

He loves Ryo.

“I’ll tell him...when the timing is right,” Riku says determinedly.

His other self narrows his eyes into crescents, his expression interested. _“I wonder when is that?”_

“None of your business,” Riku snaps before knocking on the door to Ryo’s room.

Ryo answers on the third knock. “Riku?” He is now dressed in a white bathrobe, his hair damp from presumably the shower. There is a towel draped around his neck.

“Sorry, did I disturb you?” Riku asks meekly.

“Not at all. I was just about done anyway. Come in.” Ryo steps aside to let Riku into the room. 

“How are you adjusting in America so far?” Ryo asks once Riku is seated on the bed. He places the towel around his neck on the back of the chair before he faces Riku, leaning against the work desk as he does. “Brings back memories, doesn’t it?”

Riku smiles. “It does. It’s where you brought me and Iori and changed our lives for the better.”

“I still remember that night I met you in the park. Singing your heart out,” Ryo says wistfully, “It felt like an impulse bringing you here and nurturing you into the brilliant star you are.”

“I feel that brilliance has dimmed,” Riku says quietly.

“No.” Ryo approaches Riku within a couple strides, placing his hands on Riku’s shoulders. He looks at the boy right in the eye. “There may have been a time where that brilliance flickered...but it has never once dimmed. I’d like to think that now...surrounded by the people you love and who love you in return, your brilliance only grew.

“Ryo-san…” Riku sniffs, the corners of his smile trembling. “I had people who loved me back then too. Iori...Sougo-san...and now, both of them are gone.”

“You have Tenn-kun now. And Yaotome-kun,” Ryo comforts.

“And you,” Riku finishes, “I’m lucky to have you, who love me even back then.” He reaches for Ryo’s robes to pull him closer. “How were you so patient with me? All those years where you loved me in silence, knowing that I was in no condition to return such feelings...how did you hold on?”

Ryo smiles. “Riku, you may someday outlive me, but let me remind you that as of right now, I am still older than you, Riku. By a good 20 years or so, I might add. I’m not a naive child, anymore.” He pats Riku’s hair. “I’ve had my share of experience. And besides...you’re too cute to not be patient for.”

“Your 20 or so years should be enough to tell you to give up when you need to,” Riku sulks.

“Do you want me to?” Ryo asks with a raised eyebrow.

Riku grips him tighter. “Please don’t.”

Ryo chuckles, pulling Riku to his feet before hugging him close. Ryo smells faintly of flowers - artificial as the scent may be, it still calms Riku’s nerves. For a moment, they hold each other close, swaying in place to music only they can hear.

“Thank you for coming back to me,” Riku whispers, “Tenn-nii will be really furious, though.”

“Once he comes back to his senses, he will be more furious if I decided to stay. Your big brother is highly protective about you.”

Riku smiles. “He’s always been like that...ever since we were little.” He breathes out. “If...If Kujou-san never came to our lives...if I was never sent to that lab, I wonder what kind of life would we have led. I wonder if we would have gone to school together. And I wonder if Tenn-nii would have met Gaku-san differently and fell in love properly...I would have...cheered him on.”

“I wonder if we’ll meet,” Ryo muses.

Riku looks up at him. “We will. One way or another, I’m sure we’ll meet. You might have been my homeroom teacher at school,” he says with a grin.

“Oh, how scandalous!” Ryo chuckles, “And you would have the biggest crush on me, and I will faithfully wait until you turned 18 and go to a prestigious university with your brother before I begin to pursue you. And Tenn-kun would threaten me with a knife if I ever get too close.”

“That does sound like Tenn-nii,” Riku says with a soft laugh. 

They settle into a comfortable silence for a good few minutes before Ryo and Riku move their heads at the same time. Riku tilts his head up while Ryo looks down slightly. As though they understand each other without needing words, they lean forward, meeting each other halfway into a kiss.

Tonight, Riku has no intention of holding himself back.

He parts his lips readily, letting Ryo to slip his tongue inside as they deepen the kiss. His own hands move to part Ryo’s robes, tugging the rope holding it together before it slides out from the loops entirely. He drops it carelessly to the floor before his hands part Ryo’s robes, exposing the man’s shoulders and chest. Ryo’s own hands are tugging Riku’s shirt. Breaking the kiss briefly so Riku could lift his arms, Ryo takes off Riku’s shirt. After tossing it to the floor, Ryo and Riku smile when they lean forward to kiss each other again, lips sliding against the other as Riku hooks his arms around Ryo’s neck.

They stumble onto the bed together, with Ryo pinning Riku on the mattress with his body weight. His lips move to mouth along Riku’s jaw and neck, enjoying the way Riku makes soft sounds of pleasure. Now a chiropteran, Ryo’s senses are heightened. He could hear every miniscule breath and every heartbeat, no matter how soft. He could smell the anticipation in Riku’s scent and feel his body warmth much more intensely than before.

“Do you want to?” Ryo asks breathlessly, “Because...I don’t think I can hold myself back tonight.”

Riku gazes tenderly at him. “I remember everything from all the years before. And I yearn to have it once more. If..you’ll have me.”

Ryo’s eyes soften. “Riku, I will _always_ want you.” 

He leans to kiss Riku again, but is surprised when he feels a finger pressed against his lips. 

“Before that,” Riku says quietly, “I...I have something to tell you. And when I tell you...you might change your mind about me. But still...I feel like I have to tell you before it bubbles over in the future.”

Ryo blinks. He rocks back against his heels, watching Riku get into a cross-legged sitting position opposite him. His expression is suddenly serious, with a hint of hesitation dancing on his features.

“Riku?” Ryo asks, “What is it?”

Riku takes a deep breath. He can feel his other self smiling in anticipation inside of him. It’s now or never.

“A month ago...when I first woke up from my slumber, I...I was temporarily back to my former self,” Riku begins, “And Gaku-san was there.”

Ryo keeps quiet, urging Riku to continue. Riku exhales a shaky breath before he looks at Ryo.

“I...I forced Gaku-san to make love to me. I used my influence as his King to get him to do it.”

For a moment, all that greets Riku is silence. He braces himself for Ryo’s rejection - for his screams of betrayal...or his silent anger. Or even a heartbreaking look on his face. He prepares himself for it, so much that he flinches a little when Ryo touches his face instead.

“Did you do it again?” Ryo asks gently.

Riku shakes his head. “I only did it once and I...I never let myself succumb to such tendencies ever again.” He clenches his hands on his lap into fists. “I don’t want to hurt Gaku-san that way anymore.”

“I see.” Ryo surprises Riku again by pulling the boy into another embrace, his hand moving to rub Riku’s back soothingly. “Thank you for telling me, Riku.”

“You’re not angry? Disgusted with me?” Riku asks in a hushed voice.

“Well, that was the nature of the relationship before,” Ryo sighs, “You made it blatantly clear that you will sleep with anyone as long as you find them interesting, and I made peace with that fact then. If I were to get angry now, it would be too much of a delayed reaction,” he says with a small chuckle, “Besides, you said you won’t do it again. That’s...well, that’s good enough for me.”

“Ryo-san…”

“Also…” Ryo exhales, “I would be a hypocrite if I were to get angry. And you are definitely a lot braver than I am.”

Riku frowns, craning his neck to look at Ryo. “What do you mean?”

Ryo gives him a sad smile.

“Tenn-kun did the same to me some time ago. He forced me to make love to him. Well...if making love...was even what that was.”

Riku pales considerably, the words making his heart sink to his stomach. “T-Tenn-nii did -”

“Don’t be angry at him,” Ryo quickly says, “He isn’t himself. Tenn-kun is -”

Riku catches him by surprise by dragging Ryo forward by his shoulders, smashing their mouths together into a fierce kiss. Riku lets himself pour everything he has into the kiss, and by the time they part, they are breathing harshly, a string of saliva connecting their tongues.

“R-Riku…”

“I want to make you mine,” Riku says fiercely, “Not Tenn-nii’s, but mine. Because I’m...I-” He looks at Ryo. “I’m yours. Not Gaku-san’s. Not anyone else I’ve slept with. Just you and you alone so -” He kisses Ryo briefly again before murmuring against his lips. “I’ll make you mine, in return.”

Ryo groans. “You say such dangerous words, Riku.”

“Do you not want to?”

Ryo answers by pinning Riku to the mattress before pinning the boy’s hands above his head. His lips curve into a smile.

“I very much want to,” Ryo purrs, _“My King.”_

In that moment, like his fight with Tenn, Riku feels as though he and his other self understand and reconcile once more. He reaches out to caress Ryo’s face tenderly, pulling Ryo closer before placing a bite on the man’s throat - hard enough that Ryo shudders against him, but not enough to draw blood.

Like Tenn and Gaku, Riku and Ryo will now dance on a fragile stage balanced on a thin line. 

“Then become mine,” Riku purrs back, _“My lover.”_

Making love to Ryo is both familiar and exciting. Having done it with Ryo many times a couple of years ago means that Riku recognizes the places where Ryo likes to touch him, and where Ryo likes to be touched in return. He knows the small spot above Ryo’s collarbones make the man groan a little louder in his ear. He knows that Ryo loves it when Riku straddles him like this and takes control of everything, eyes twinkling with anticipation as Ryo steadies him by the hips.

Making love with Ryo feels like coming home. 

But after nearly two years of not having done it with Ryo - nearly a year of it spent not remembering him and slowly learning his way back into the feelings he once held for the man -, making love to him now feels a little nerve-wracking. Riku knows so much about Ryo and yet now, ironically, he feels he has so much still to learn. He moves slowly, his actions laced with hesitation. It is only when Ryo’s hand moves from Riku’s hips to his face that Riku finds himself relaxing into the movement.

“Don’t force yourself if you can’t,” Ryo murmurs.

Riku shakes his head. “I’m not forcing anything. I want to...get to know you again, Ryo-san. Like all those years before only this time…”

He smiles brilliantly at Ryo. “I can say how much I love you.”

Ryo’s eyes widen in surprise. “R-Riku…” He clenches his jaw before abruptly changing their positions, flipping Riku so he is pinned underneath Ryo on the mattress once more. Ryo’s eyes burn bright red as he lets his desires consume him. “You really...know how to ruin me.”

Riku smiles, his eyes turning blue. “Just as much as you ruin me, Ryo-san. I’ll say it again.” His blue eyes are filled with tenderness. “I love you, Ryo-san, and I want to make you mine.”

“I love you too, Riku,” Ryo breathes, “I’ve always loved you and I...I’ve always been yours.”

When Ryo thrusts into Riku a moment later, Riku hisses out as his hole stretches to accommodate the girth of Ryo’s cock, his fingers digging into the expanse of Ryo’s bare back. There is something familiar in the pleasure-pain that comes from his walls being rubbed against and his back arching as Ryo pushes into him slowly and gently all the way to the hilt. It burns so good that tears leak from Riku’s eyes without meaning to.

“Are you okay?” Ryo asks, “Am I hurting you?”

Ryo sounds so concerned that his words bring fresh tears to Riku’s eyes. Sex with Gaku and the others he had played around with was never this tender. He had intended them to be that way - he saw sex as a way to sate a physical craving and nothing more - but now, doing it with the man he truly loves, Riku couldn’t help but to let his emotions overflow.

He shakes his head. “I’m just really happy,” he croaks, wrapping his arms around Ryo to hold him closer, “You can move now. _Please._ Let me feel you.”

“Okay,” Ryo says quietly, “Okay, Riku.”

Ryo starts off gentle and slow, listening to Riku’s sounds and reactions before setting a pace. Riku moans softly at first, but when the pace begins to pick up, so do the volumes of his sounds. Ryo is hitting all the right places and soon, Riku is reduced to a screaming, moaning mess in his arms.

“I miss this,” Riku gasps, “I miss having you inside of me, Ryo-san!” Riku bounces on Ryo’s lap, trying to get a right angle so that the man’s cock hits the spot inside of him that sends sparks of pleasure up his spine. Ryo is holding him tight enough to leave bruises, but it’s that grip that comforts Riku. Their eyes - brilliant red and blue - gaze upon each other, the air in between them heated with lust and desire.

“Riku, Riku, Riku,” Ryo babbles. Riku yelps when Ryo changes their positions again, pushing Riku to hands and knees before _slamming_ into him from behind. Riku moans so loudly that his voice bounces off the walls, the heat inside of him growing into a steady pressure.

Ryo’s rough with him to the point that is maddening, but in that roughness, there is gentleness in the way Ryo holds him steady. In the way his hand moves up and down Riku’s back as though to comfort. In the way Ryo leans his weight against him, tilts Riku’s head back and kisses him passionately on the mouth.

“I love you,” Riku says, their breaths intermingling in the small space between their lips, “I love you so much, Ryo-san.”

“As I love you,” Ryo murmurs against Riku’s lips, “I love you more than anything and anyone. I’m yours.”

“I’m yours, too,” Riku gasps, “I-I’m going to c-come -”

“Me too,” Ryo groans, his hips moving more erratically now, his rhythm gone, “R-Riku, let’s come together -”

Riku’s broken moans and Ryo’s groans mix together as they come simultaneously. Riku’s seed spills onto the sheets below him, his legs trembling under the orgasm high that rocks him to the core. He collapses onto the bed, moaning weakly as Ryo fills him up with his release, his teeth lightly biting Riku’s shoulder as he rides his orgasm.

When the high finally fades away, they lay like that for a moment. Ryo moves to pull out but Riku is quick to grab his hand, turning his head to look at Ryo.

“Just stay like this for a bit, Ryo-san.”

“Isn’t it uncomfortable?”

Riku chuckles. “What, like you never did it before? All those years before?” he teases.

“I see that you’re still a pervert,” Ryo teases in return.

“I’m sorry you only had a year to enjoy my shy, amnesiac virgin self.” Ryo and Riku kiss lazily for a few seconds before Riku is the first to break away. He lies his head down on the mattress, enjoying the weight of Ryo against him. He feels Ryo adjusting their positions so that Ryo is spooning him from behind, pulling his hips slightly to pull out from Riku. Riku hisses at the sudden emptiness, his muscles clenching as a thick wetness trail down his thighs.

“Let’s clean up in the morning,” Ryo suggests.

“Hm…” Riku yawns, “Who’s the...pervert...now?”

The blue in his eyes had long faded away as fatigue finally crashes down onto him. He snuggles against Ryo, his eyes drooping shut.

“Good night...Ryo-san.”

Just before Riku loses consciousness, he feels something warm nuzzle his hair.

“Good night, Riku.” 

When Riku and Ryo return to Gaku’s and Riku’s shared room the next day, Gaku is already awake.

There is a black eyepatch covering his missing eye; one that Haruka had helped buy last night. Shooting the young boy a grateful look, Riku approaches Gaku slowly, his expression guarded.

“How are you feeling?” Riku asks.

Gaku’s remaining eye is blue, glowing faintly in the morning sunlight. “Thirsty,” he admits.

“You did lose quite a bit of blood,” Mitsuki points out, “We’ll wait in Yamato-san’s room and give you and Riku some privacy.”

“Thank you,” Riku says gratefully. He watches his companions - including Ryo - pour out of the room, with Ryo giving Riku a lingering look by the doorway before walking out of the door entirely. As soon as Riku hears the door click shut, he moves to sit on the bed, angling his body so he faces Gaku.

“Come here,” he smiles, “You must be so thirsty. Come.”

Gaku wastes no time. Driven by his instincts, he pulls Riku closer by tugging his shoulders before pushing the boy onto the bed. Riku could feel Gaku’s breath washing over his face before the man leans down to lick and nip at Riku’s throat.

Riku keeps his eyes trained on the ceiling as his hands stroke his chevalier’s hair, hissing a little when Gaku’s fangs finally pierce his skin and puncture his throat.

As Gaku continues to drink from him, Riku couldn’t stop himself from reminiscing. When Gaku first became his chevalier, he had made it a point to avoid drinking from Riku as often as possible. It had taken Gaku nearly starving to death before he had bitten Riku and that was only because Riku coerced him into it. Gaku made sure to drink just enough to avoid drinking from Riku ever again.

Now, Gaku willingly drinks from him when the situation calls for it, and it makes Riku’s heart light knowing that his chevalier finally wholeheartedly accepts him. Riku closes his eyes to prevent the tears from spilling out, focusing on the feeling of Gaku’s fangs embedded into his throat instead.

Gaku pulls away sooner than Riku had anticipated.

“You can drink more if you want,” Riku says, stroking Gaku’s cheek, “You don’t need to hold back.”

“I’m fine now,” Gaku says, “What about you?”

“I’m fine too,” Riku answers.

Gaku looks as though he doesn’t quite believe him. “I...could taste it in your blood, you know. Your anxiety. Is this...a chiropteran thing? Like the way you share your memories with me through your blood?”

“It can only happen between a chevalier and their monarch,” Riku explains softly, “It’s the symbol of our bond. But yes…” He lets out a self-decrepitating laugh. “I should have known I couldn’t hide anything from you. I’m…I was thinking about the past. And now...I…”

He exhales. “I just want Tenn-nii back.”

Gaku pulls Riku up and lets the boy embrace him on the bed. They find comfort in each other like this, holding the other closely. 

“Mm. We’ll get him back,” Gaku vows, “No matter what it takes.”

Riku finally lets out a strangled sob, burying his head against Gaku’s shoulder. “I’m sorry about your eye. If I was stronger…”

“Don’t blame yourself, Nanase,” Gaku says, “I never regret protecting you. I genuinely care about you.”

“Even after all the terrible things I did to you in the past?”

“You’ve changed since then.” Gaku looks at Riku, wiping the stray tears from the boy’s eyes. He offers Riku a reassuring smile. “If you ever lose yourself again, I’ll make sure to bring you back. Me, Tsukumo-san, and Tenn. All four of us will find our happy ending. I promise.”

They gaze at each other for a bit before Riku is the first to laugh, as watery as it may be.

“You say the most dramatic things sometimes, Gaku-san. Did Ryo-san influence you?”

“I watched a few of Tenn’s dramas. The lines he said made an impression,” Gaku admits, “But I do mean what I said, you know.”

“I know,” Riku says, “You’re a man of your words, after all.” He takes a deep breath before looking at Gaku determinedly. “Let’s rescue Yuki-san and Momo-san, find Tenn-nii and stop Yukio once and for all.”

Yuki feels Momo’s hand reach out for his under the table as the pair watch Yukio pace around the room. They’re currently in another apartment in New York, rented at short notice with plenty of threats to the owner. Yuki spies Tenn from the corner of his eyes, who is still lying unconscious on the sofa since Yukio brought him home yesterday.

This is definitely intentional.

“You seem worried,” Yuki says casually, “Something wrong, Sato-kun? Moving apartments and all. I’m tempted to think you’re being chased.”

“We have a few persistent rats, yes,” Yukio says with a dismissive wave, “But the plan is already underway. They won’t be able to do much. Now all we need to do is to sell the tickets and get ready for the event.” He eyes the two of them. “Our lovely sponsor may be gone, but the money is already wired into the necessary account. You two just have to keep making sure our beautiful songbird keeps singing.”

“When is the concert?” Momo asks meekly.

“A week from now. Which means, we cannot be detected until then.”

“That’s such short notice,” Yuki notes with a raised eyebrow, “How will you gather an audience?”

“Silly, silly Yuki-san. Even before you two came into the picture, I’ve done a little promoting myself. I’ve built enough anticipation among the fans. Besides.” Yukio grins. “As long as the important guests are there, nothing else matters.”

Momo and Yuki exchange wary looks. 

“Until then, you two better behave.” Yuki’s eyes flash red in warning. “I won’t hesitate to kill you if I have to.”

He looks at Tenn. “I need to leave for a meeting with the venue organizer. So look after Tenn-kun, why don’t you? I had him sleep for at least a few more hours, so I won’t advise taking him with you and making a run for it.” Yukio winks. “He gets incredibly cranky when his sleep is disturbed.”

Yuki and Momo wait until the front door clicks shut and the key locks it tight before Momo turns to Yuki, his expression frantic. “What are we going to do, Yuki?” he asks in a scared tone, “We’re locked in here and we don’t even know where we are. Our phones are taken away from us and I...I...Tsukumo-san even abandoned us. W-what if…” Momo’s bottom lip trembles. “What if Sato-san gets bored of us and kills us -”

“We’ll be okay,” Yuki says reassuringly, rubbing his partner’s knuckles with his thumb. “We’ll be okay. I’ll make sure we’ll get out of here. And regarding Tsukumo-san, don’t believe everything Sato-kun says. I know he has a good reason for what he did.”

“How can you be sure?” Momo sniffs.

Yuki pulls Momo into a tight embrace, rubbing soothing circles on the man’s back. “We have to have faith,” he murmurs, “It’s the only thing we have left.”

By the time they wake up the next day, Yuki and Momo find Tenn fully awake in the living room. The boy appears to be in an unpleasant mood and is currently having an argument with Yukio.

“Tell me the truth, Yukio,” he demands, “That time in Japan...I know you didn’t tell me all of it.”

“Why do you want to know?” Yukio asks idly, swirling the blood pooled in the wine glass in his hand, “Riku-kun still caused those terrible things to happen to you.”

“...Tch.” Tenn is scowling at the man, his eyes narrowing dangerously. “Why won’t you give me the answers I need? You’re supposed to be the one who is the most loyal to me. More loyal than the chevalier who left me! And yet -”

“Oh look, Yuki-san and Momo-san are awake,” Yukio interrupts, “Good morning!”

“...Good morning,” Momo says hesitantly.

“Can you two supervise Tenn-kun’s singing while I go off for another meeting? We weren’t able to conclude it yesterday so I’m going to ensure the finishing touches are ready for the concert next week.”

“Yukio -” Tenn begins, clearly irritated.

Yukio suddenly places a finger on Tenn’s forehead, looking at him meaningfully. His voice is low when he murmurs to Tenn. “Be a good boy now, Tenn-kun.”

Yuki doesn’t miss the way Tenn’s body stiffens at the order, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. Tenn ends up not answering back, merely scowling further when Yukio pats his head with fondness before heading for the door.

“I restocked the fridge if you need food,” Yukio says to Yuki and Momo in an afterthought, “All the equipment you need for Tenn-kun is in the guestroom. Feel free to use it. See you later~”

Once Yukio is gone, Momo nervously turns to Tenn. “Um...shall we start?”

Tenn glances at the two of them before turning his body to face them entirely. He crosses his arms, the serious look returning to his face. 

“Why are you two still here?” he asks.

“Eh? Um -” Momo hurries to say but Yuki beats him to the punch.

“It’s not like we had a choice,” Yuki says with a raised eyebrow, “When Sato-kun moved, he took us with him, trapping us with you. We’re supposed to supervise your singing until the very day of the big concert. He took our phones, too.”

“By phones...you mean this?” Tenn reaches inside his pant pockets and pulls out two black devices. From Yuki and Momo’s shocked reactions, he guesses he must have hit the bullseye. “I swiped it from Yukio’s room when he wasn’t looking. You can have them.”

Yuki and Momo stumble to catch the phones Tenn carelessly tosses towards them. He also tosses them what appears to be keys.

“I don’t need a babysitter. You gave me all the songs I needed. You’re no longer necessary. While Yukio is gone, you should take this chance to leave.”

Momo looks visibly relieved already, but Yuki remains suspicious.

“Why are you helping us? Is this a trick?”

“If Yukio wants to remain stubborn, then I won’t have to follow all of his plans either. An eye for an eye, as they say.” Tenn glowers, his eyes turning faintly red. “He may not be my chevalier, but I won’t have anyone disobeying me.” He turns to the two men with a now disinterested gaze. “Go. You can tell people about me if you want. I doubt they would believe you.”

When Yuki and Momo still do not move, Tenn rolls his eyes in annoyance. “What are you, dumb? Go!”

“Come with us!” Momo blurts.

“Momo…” Yuki says.

“Your brother is worried for you. Yaotome-kun, too! You can tell that Sato-san is acting strange, right? You don’t have to stay with him,” Momo coaxes, “You’re a King, right? You don’t take orders from anyone.”

For the first time in a long while, Yuki sees conflict dancing across Tenn’s face. The boy’s fingers curl into tight fists at his sides, as though he is fighting against some invisible force.

“Don’t misunderstand,” Tenn says at last, his tone cold, “I still intend to cause my brother grief for what he’s done to me. I just want some proper answers from Yukio. Answers I _will_ get.”

He jerks his chin towards the door.

“Now go, before I change my mind.”

This time, Yuki and Momo do not hesitate. They go towards the door, unlock it and bolt out of the apartment unit. 

“Are you sure I don’t look strange?” Gaku self-consciously adjusts his eyepatch, before turning to look at Riku again. “I won’t attract attention, will I?”

Riku pats his arm reassuringly. “New York is a city of performance and showbiz. People coming and going in costumes is a more common occurrence than you think. Besides, I think you look handsome.”

“Like a handsome pirate,” Ryo chimes in.

Gaku grimaces. “I’m not sure how to feel about that. Anyway -”

His phone suddenly starts ringing. Gaku fishes out his phone from his pocket and frowns when he sees it’s a number he doesn’t recognize. It seems to be a local New York number. Warily, he answers the phone and places it against his ear.

_“Hello?”_ he says in English.

There is a slight pause before Gaku jerks in surprise. Just then, Riku stiffens, his body sensing a presence he recognizes all too well. He turns around, looking straight ahead towards the road. Gaku follows the direction of his gaze.

“Yuki-san?! Momo-san?!” they say simultaneously in surprise.

“You let them go?”

Tenn meets Yukio’s gaze defiantly. “I did.”

Yukio can feel a headache coming. He could feel his plans slowly but surely coming to disarray. A disobedient King is the last thing he needs.

“Why?” he demands, “You’re the one who wanted them in the first place."

“Well, now I don’t. It’s that simple.”

Yukio sighs heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You’re doing this on purpose, are you? Ever since last night...you -”

“That’s because you won’t answer my questions,” Tenn snaps, “I know now what you told me before isn’t the complete truth. Or...if it’s even the truth at all. I - I used to think that you’re a loyal little pet but last night, all I thought was...why are you even by my side? How did I even know you? And more importantly…” He jabs a finger onto Yukio’s chest. “Why am I even following your plans? If anything, it should be the other way around.”

“I’m not your chevalier, Tenn-kun,” Yukio reminds with practiced patience, “I’m not bound to you.”

“And yet you remain by my side. Why is that?” Tenn narrows his eyes. “Why didn’t I question it until…” He swallows. “Until last night...when I could feel my emotions slipping through.”

Yukio stares at him in silence.

“Riku and Gaku...and even Tsukumo-san, they all urged me to turn on my humanity again. That’s it, isn’t it? Yukio, you...whatever is going between us, it happened the moment I turned off my humanity, didn’t it? What happened before then?” Tenn’s head begins to pound as he tries to remember. “Yukio, you -” He grits his teeth. “I’ll turn it back on. I’ll get my answers then - grk!”

Yukio had moved too fast.

Tenn feels a prick of pain at the back of his throat before his vision instantly blurs. His limbs feel heavy - so much that he would have sunk to the ground if it weren’t for Yukio’s arms catching him the moment he fumbles forward. Tenn could not even push the man away. He spies something in Yukio’s hand as he leans heavily against the man.

A syringe filled with green liquid. Chiropteran drug. 

“You...bastard…” Tenn croaks out, “What -”

“I’m sorry, Tenn-kun. You will have to behave and listen to what I tell you,” Yukio says, “At least until the plan has been fulfilled. Be a good boy and commit revenge against Riku-kun on my behalf until then, okay?”

Tenn is already not listening, passed out cold in Yukio’s arms.

Several years ago, Sato Yukio was once left for dead by an angry, bloodthirsty chiropteran King who escaped the lab right after. The young King tore him apart limb by limb and destroyed his throat before leaving Yukio to bleed to death in his office at the lab.

He would have, if it weren’t for a single person.

A young Queen, once under the care of Yukio, who secretly held feelings for the man. Yukio had treated her with what he would think was kindness - women, he thought, were easier to manipulate; one sweet word and the Queen readily cooperated with him in creating more chiropterans for the lab to experiment on. Her blood was also used to create the less refined Corpse Corpses. 

When Riku escaped the lab, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake, the Queen took advantage of the chaos to leave as well. It was by chance, she told him, that the Queen found Yukio dying in his office. Driven by her emotions, the Queen gave Yukio her blood and transformed him into her first chevalier.

The Queen, as it turned out, had an adopted human family. Concealing Yukio’s identity, she persuaded her family to help her reconstruct Yukio’s missing limbs and other grievous injuries. When Yukio woke up in the hospital many weeks later, he found himself with limbs that were not his own, and a stolen voice box.

The Queen and her human family, as it turned out, hid their own twistedness. 

It was this twistedness that Yukio took advantage of. He pledged loyalty to his new Queen in exchange for her keeping tabs on the one King he had interest in. It was through this one very naive but twisted Queen, that Yukio stayed knowledgeable in regards to one Nanase Riku.

Now this naive but twisted Queen had a twin sister, like all Queens do. And like all Queens, this one hated her sister to bits. Yukio, without her knowledge, took advantage of this hatred to approach the younger twin sister and seduced her behind his Queen’s back. 

“My Queen disowned me,” he said, “I wish to pledge my loyalty to you.” 

Once the twin sister accepted him, it was only smooth sailing from there. Sure, the Queen’s original chevalier had been wary of him, but he had been really easy to kill. He killed him without the twin sister ever noticing. 

Like chevalier, like Queen. During one passionate lovemaking session, he injected his Queen’s blood into the twin sister, crystallizing her in the process. Not before extracting her blood beforehand. 

During the year Riku’s concert in Paris went into chaos and the boy himself disappeared soon after, Yukio finally killed his Queen. 

“Thank you for everything,” he whispered at his crystallizing Queen, smiling with mock sweetness, “But I don’t need you anymore, my beloved.”

That was the year Yukio set out to find Riku….and carry out his revenge.

Tenn lies unconscious on a metal table, his brows furrowing as Yukio whispers words into his ear. The chiropteran drug he injected Tenn with is modified with a certain component that makes his mind more susceptible to suggestions. Yukio brushes the few strands of hair from Tenn’s closed eyes.

“From what I learned from my experiences with my Queen, it’s more fun to use one sibling against the other,” Yukio smiles, “And therefore...I can’t let you wake up just yet. Be a good boy and keep your humanity closed shut, okay?”

He caresses Tenn’s cheek.

“Trust me...you’ll thank me for it.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nearly the end, guys! ^^


	17. sixteen

**Chapter sixteen**

  
  


_ “In a week, japanese idol Tenn Kujou will perform at XXX Theater. The event is organized by -” _

The rest of the words barely register in Riku’s head. His attention is mainly on the picture of Tenn being displayed on the screen, which appears to have been taken from a recent American interview. He looks cheerful and composed in that picture and even from here, Riku could see the ring hanging from the metal chain around his neck.

Tenn still hasn’t taken it off. Riku would have hoped that his brother had returned back to normal, but his dreams had been dashed when Yuki and Momo told him of the opposite.

Still, it is better than nothing. Gaku, who is sitting beside him, has his eyes glued onto that ring as well. Riku doesn’t need to guess that his chevalier shares the same sentiment as him.

“I’ve taken a look at the guest list Sato-kun procured and it seemed that quite a number of them are big names. It’s meant to be an intimate sort of concert, so the number of fans allowed in the venue aren’t that many, either,” Yuki says, “At first I thought it was just to make up for the short notice of the event, but from what we could see yesterday, tickets sold out within seconds.”

Gaku nods. “From what we could see, Tenn did hint that he was going to hold a show for the past couple of months now, but we just didn’t know when and where. To think that the tickets would be sold out this quickly. It’s as if the fans were closely monitoring his account for any sort of news.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s the case,” Haruka says, “I had high school friends who obsessed over idols and did pretty much the same thing.”

“Sato-kun took advantage of this, then,” Momo says seriously.

“Did the two of you receive tickets for the show?” Minami asks, “I’m assuming it’s a show that Sato would want you to be at.”

Gaku nods. He gestures towards the cream-colored envelope sitting on the bed. “The hotel receptionist gave this to me this morning. She said she couldn’t recognize the sender, though. But my best bet would be Sato himself.”

“He really...is doing everything I did up to a T,” Riku murmurs, “From the concert to the special invitation...and to think that he chose  _ that  _ specific venue, too.”

He clenches his hands into tight fists, feeling the anger flowing through him. The only thing that stopped the anger from overflowing were the warm touches by both Gaku and Ryo, who placed their hands on Riku’s shoulder and clenched fist respectively. Riku gives them both a grateful look, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves.

_ Control yourself, Nanase Riku. Nothing good will come out when you’re angry. _

His other self is humming inside of him, as though to mock him. Riku resolutely ignores him.

“This venue...is where Riku first debuted?” Nagi questions, “Didn’t you visit the place with Riku, Isumi-san?”

Haruka nods. “We did. It’s a really pretty place and definitely more suited for an intimate scale show than any typical idol concert. I wonder why Sato would choose to have the concert there of all places. If he’s planning to mimic Nanase’s plan from the years before, won’t it be better to hold it somewhere bigger with more people?”

“Not to mention that there aren't any planned simulcasts either,” Yamato chimes in, “He’s definitely looking for a smaller, and even more contained reaction. But  _ why _ ? That would be too easy for us to stop. It’s like he’s doing a half-assed job at the last minute.”

“That’s because he doesn’t care for all of that,” Riku says, drawing everyone’s attention. He looks at Ryo. “You said Yukio did this to restart the cycle of hatred between me and Tenn-nii.”

“Yes,” Ryo affirms with a nod, “That he wanted to continue what Kujou Takamasa failed to maintain.”

“Then everything else is secondary,” Riku says, “It’s not my plan he’s after. Not entirely, anyway. It just makes things easier for him to set the stage. Why go through the trouble when he could just reuse the same formula to get the same results?”

He stands up from his chair. 

“If things hadn’t gone the way they did that night at the park, Yukio would have already achieved his goal. But since it didn’t, he proceeded to set a second stage - this time, Tenn-nii and I would  _ have  _ to meet.”

Yamato frowns. “What are you getting at, Riku?”

“He doesn’t care if you managed to stop the rest of his plans,” Riku says, “He held the concert where the plan was to take place at a venue he knew from somewhere is meaningful to me so he could mock me. Mock me...while I’m made to fight my own brother.”

His eyes gleam with renewed anger.

“His revenge towards me is for me and Tenn-nii destroy each other in a hatred-filled battle.”

Tenn hums in his room, his fingers lightly tracing the ring hanging around his neck. He doesn’t remember how he had gotten it and how he ends up in a completely different apartment than the place where he first stayed in America. He doesn’t even remember his own chevalier. Did he ever have one?

He only has Yukio. That man is the only one he ever needs. After all, he’s going to help Tenn fulfill his revenge against Riku - the person responsible for all the misery in his life. 

Sure, he doesn’t remember what the misery is exactly - he doesn’t remember much, really. He only knows he’s an idol and Yukio is the only one who matters. And Riku...Riku deserves all the punishment in the world. Tenn wonders if his memory loss is because of Riku as well. That must be why Tenn hates him so much, right? That little brother of his ruined everything and took Tenn’s memories with him.

Yukio is right. He should kill him. His little brother deserves nothing less.

His fingers trace the ring again. He’s oddly attached to the thing, despite not remembering where it came from.

“Admiring your beauty, Tenn-kun?”

Tenn smirks, looking at Yukio from his reflection in the mirror. Unlike before, there is no hatred or defiance in Tenn’s gaze when he looks at Yukio. Yukio smiles internally.

Just like how he designed it to be. 

The drug he had administered Tenn had been modified to increase its strength in making Tenn’s mind more susceptible to be more manipulated. It was a drug that Yukio designed as a last minute resort in case his plan goes awry. He isn’t too pleased to have already used it - he was planning to save it for another purpose - but he is pleased by the outcome regardless.

Now, not only is Tenn’s humanity remains switched off, his memories are manipulated to make him focus solely on his hatred towards Riku. The King doesn’t remember everything else - he doesn’t need to. 

There is one concern in how long the effects of this drug-aided hypnosis will last, but Yukio is confident that if it should wear off, things have already gone as planned by then. 

“Yukio,” Tenn purrs, “I can’t wait for my show this weekend. You did a good job organizing it.”

“Anything for my little songbird,” Yukio croons, “Are you eager to see your brother again?”

Tenn bares his teeth. “I can’t wait to  _ kill _ him.”

There. There is the King Yukio very much adores. 

Yukio tilts Tenn’s face so the boy is looking at him before kissing him on the lips. It is clear that Tenn wants more than just a chaste kiss from the way he immediately turns around and clings onto Yukio, eagerly deepening the kiss. Yukio smiles, tasting Tenn on his tongue as his hands fumble with the hem of the boy’s shirt.

“You’re so eager today,” Yukio murmurs against his lips, “What would Yaotome-kun say?”

“Hm…? Who’s that?” Tenn asks, unconcerned, his lips chasing Yukio’s, “I only know you.”

“That’s right,” Yukio praises, “You only know me.” He roughly maneuvers Tenn to the ground, pressing the boy with his body weight. “And for as long as I have you...until the final day, you will only remember me.”

He smiles when Tenn gasps under Yukio’s touch and hooks his legs around Yukio’s waist.

“And the hatred for your brother,” Yukio continues before kissing Tenn deeply as he devours him whole.

A couple of days before Tenn’s concert, Ryo finds Riku on the hotel rooftop.

“There you are,” Ryo says, walking over to the boy, “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

Riku looks surprised to see Ryo. “Ryo-san, how did you find me?”

“Yaotome-kun told me he saw you taking the elevator to the top floor. I had some guesses. You’ve always liked high places.”

“I see...I take it the rest are back?”

Ryo nods. “The venue is inaccessible and Sato-kun remains as slippery as an eel, so all we could now is to wait for the show itself to really do anything. But if Sato-kun is mimicking you, then the steps to prepare for his plans are already prepared so we should be able to contain the problem as soon as it begins.”

“I’m glad.” Riku smiles without humor. “It’s ironic, honestly. A couple of years ago, I was the one who planned everything and Tenn-nii had to guess what I was going to do to the audience. Now, I’m the one who’s going to stop it and this time, the processes will be a lot easier. Which brings me back to my point.... Yukio doesn’t care if the rest of his plans fail.”

His smile slips off his face completely. “As long as Tenn-nii and I destroy each other in the fight, nothing else matters.”

“It won’t come to that,” Ryo vows, “We’ll do everything we can to bring Tenn-kun back to normal.” 

“Mm...Thank you, Ryo-san.” Riku looks at the night view, a wistful sigh escaping his lips. “This must have been how Tenn-nii felt when he had to fight me. It’s really...unpleasant.”

He presses his forehead against the metal railing, feeling the coldness of the metal against his skin.

“In a couple of days….everything will come back to full circle. Tenn-nii and I will be forced to reenact the fight we had before just as Yukio wanted and we will see if this fight would finally end the cycle of hatred that is meant to exist between us.” He looks at Ryo. “And whether any of us will survive from it.”

“The only person who deserves to die is Sato-kun,” Ryo says fiercely, “Both you and Tenn-kun will make it out alive. I believe in you.”

Riku’s lips quirk into a smile. “Thank you, Ryo-san. I -” With a shuddering breath, he moves towards Ryo and wraps his arms around the man’s waist, pressing his face against Ryo’s chest as he hugs him. “I’m  _ scared. _ For the first time in a long while, I’m so  _ terrified _ .”

Ryo pulls him closer and kisses the top of Riku’s hair. “I’ll be by your side at every step, okay? We’ll bring Tenn-kun back and you two can finally have the happiness you deserve.” 

“I hope so,” Riku whispers, “I really, really hope so.”

As the two continue to hold each other tight, Gaku observes the scene from a distance. Sensing his King’s anxiety, Gaku had initially wanted to check on Riku himself but seeing the two now, he knows that Riku is in safe hands. Careful to not make a sound and disturb them, Gaku takes a step back before climbing down the stairs back to the hotel building.

A couple of years ago, he had held Tenn through his own anxieties at facing his own brother. He had made a vow to protect Tenn then; he will continue to keep that vow.

“We’ll bring you back, Tenn,” he says to himself, “And finally kill that bastard trapping you by his side.”

On the morning of the concert day, Riku wakes up surprisingly serene. He glances to his side and sees Gaku sleeping on the other bed, his expression more peaceful than Riku has seen in days.

He crawls over to Gaku and gently shakes him awake. Gaku’s eyelids twitch and out of consideration, Riku looks away when he knows Gaku is waking up. He knows Gaku is still self-conscious of the appearance of his missing eye. He waits for his chevalier to put on his eyepatch before he looks at Gaku again.

“You’re awake so early,” Gaku yawns, “You can afford to get more sleep. Considering what we’re about to face this evening.”

“I think it’s  _ because  _ of that I couldn’t sleep anymore.” Riku pats Gaku’s arm. “Also...I’m thirsty.”

“Oh.” Gaku gets into a proper sitting position. “It’s good that you drink now anyway. You’ll need all the strength you can get.”

Riku smiles thinly. “Hopefully I won’t need all that much.”

Gaku breathes out slowly when Riku sinks his fangs into his throat, his hands automatically reaching up to place them on Riku’s back. Riku ends up not taking as much as he thought he would and the boy surprises him more when Riku presses a hand at the back of Gaku’s head, coaxing him to nuzzle his throat.

“Your turn,” Riku says softly, “You will need your strength as well.”

“You’re not gonna let me say no, are you?” Gaku chuckles.

“Nope. Behave now.” Riku smiles. “Or do you want me to call you my child again like I did a couple of years ago?”

Gaku grimaces. “Please don’t.” He kisses Riku’s throat once. “Then, I’ll eat well.”

“Mm. Please do.”

The room is quiet except for Riku’s soft breathing and the slight shift of their legs against the sheets. Gaku’s bite is gentle, but Riku could tell that he is taking more than usual. He lets him, knowing that Gaku will need all the strength his King could offer him.

Considering the sort of enemy they will face in several hours.

“The Schiffs? Have they fed?” Riku asks softly.

Gaku pulls away from his throat, wiping his bloodied lips with the back of his hand. “Nikaido gave them the supplies they needed last night.”

“And Ryo-san?”

“The same. Everyone excluding me and Tsukumo-san are already armed as well. Which means…”

Riku watches as Gaku climbs off the bed and approaches the wardrobe. Gaku opens the wardrobe and reaches inside, pulling out what appears to be a large black bag. He brings it over to the bed, gesturing for Riku to take it.

“I know you said you don’t need one, but Tenn will most likely bring his tonight. You should have a fair battle.”

Riku looks at the bag, slowly reaching for it. “This is…?”

“Tsukumo-san helped pick it. He said he remembered the design of the sword I kept back at home for you and chose something similar.”

Riku feels the handle of the sword first, before he pulls the weapon out entirely from the bag. The weight of it feels familiar in his hand, along with the black and red handle. He stands up on the bed and gives an experimental swing. He could feel his other self settling his hands over Riku’s own, as if to swing the sword with him.

It’s been a long while since Riku properly used a sword - he remembered he picked it up in Paris for the sake of being on the same par as Tenn who fought with a katana - and yet his body still remembers the motions. 

“I’m surprised you managed to smuggle in weapons into the hotel.”

“We didn’t exactly take the conventional entrance,” Gaku admits without going further into detail, “If it were up to me, I’d like you to avoid using that entirely, but I’m not naive. If Sato did something to Tenn again, we’ll have to expect a battle tonight.” He looks at Riku seriously. “Will you be ready for it?”

Riku tightens his grip on the sword handle.

“I don’t want to be,” he says, “But I have to be ready.” 

He fought his brother before, with him as the antagonist. Funny how the situation is flipped now, orchestrated by the man who is determined to ruin Riku’s life through his own brother.

“Have the other preparations been put in place?” Riku asks.

“The Schiffs are planning to sneak into the theater ahead of us. Nikaido and Rokuya will also be stationed outside just in case.” Gaku pauses. “Tsukumo-san will accompany us inside the main performance hall. He was also gifted his own ticket just this morning. It seemed that Sato wanted him to reunite with his King.”

“And Yuki-san and Momo-san?”

“For their safety, they’ll be flying home today,” Gaku informs, “I think they’re in the middle of packing as we speak.”

“I see. “ Riku lets out a breath. “This will be your second battle of a similar setting,” Riku says with a bitter smile, “How do you feel about it?”

“The same as you, probably. A sense of deja vu I cannot shake.”

“You too, huh?” Riku looks at his sword again, his gaze filled with determination. It’s as if he’s transferring every bit of his will into the weapon he holds in his hands. “When the night ends, we will bring Tenn-nii back with us.”

Gaku nods, his expression firm. “No matter what it takes,” he agrees.

“Do you remember your first concert, Riku?”

Riku watches from the bed as Ryo changes into his suit, admiring his reflection in the mirror. It is a few hours until the show. Everyone except for Riku, Gaku and Ryo have all left for the theater. According to the report Nagi gave them, there is already a crowd gathering in front of the show venue. The notable guests have also arrived and are currently being led inside.

“Of course I do,” Riku says, “There were big names and you wore a suit just like this one.”

“Brings back memories, doesn’t it?” Ryo smiles in return, “And to think that we’ll return to that place but for a completely different reason.” He stretches out his arm. “If I have to destroy this suit when I fight, it’d be a shame, honestly.”

“Do you know how to fight, Ryo-san?” Riku asks, “Have you gotten used to your chiropteran powers?”

“I only had a couple of months to get used to it,” Ryo says, “While Yaotome-kun had a whole year. I admittedly couldn’t do as much as he could, but I could turn my hand into a weapon at least, as unsightly as it seems.” He gives Riku a crooked smile. “I can put up a fight.”

It’s a smile that Riku does not return. 

“Inside the performance hall...if it comes to it, I might not be able to help you. Tenn-nii will surely want all my attention, so…” He looks at Ryo with a pleading look. “You better stay alive, Ryo-san.”

Ryo looks a little surprised by the sudden intensity in Riku’s words, but his expression softens immediately after. He walks over to the boy and kisses him lightly on his lips. “I won’t go down that easily.”

“You better,” Riku breathes.

Ryo smiles before pulling back. “We’re about to leave soon. So you should probably change. Did you take a look at the outfit I got you?”

Riku seems to have relaxed enough to make a face. “Don’t you think it’s a little over the top?”

“Nonsense. You were beautiful in all your shows, and I saw the outfit you wore for your show in Paris. I can only imagine Tenn-kun will dress beautifully as well for his concert.” Ryo grins wider. “You’ll need to be on par with your brother, in both fighting prowess and  _ style _ .”

This time, Riku is able to crack a smile. 

Riku, Gaku and Ryo arrive at the theater around 15 minutes before the show starts. By then, most of the fans have already been seated and the lights in the performance hall have been dimmed. Riku prefers it this way - he would like to draw as little attention to himself as possible.

“The Schiffs have placed your weapon under your seat,” Gaku murmurs beside him.

“Mm.” Riku sits down and moves his legs, immediately feeling something long and hard bumping against the back of his shoes.

“You look beautiful today by the way,” Gaku adds, “I heard Tsukumo-san picked the outfit for you?”

On Riku’s other side, Ryo puffs his chest out in pride. “Regardless of the real purpose, Riku should dress just as beautifully as his brother on a momentous occasion such as this.”

Riku finds himself smiling, kissing Ryo on the cheek. “Thank you again.”

He glances around them, taking in the faces of the fans and peeking at the important figureheads seated at the very front. His heart twists knowing the kind of fate that awaits them once the performance starts, and could only find comfort in the glimpses of the Schiffs scattered around the performance hall, their presence carefully concealed. Outside the door, Yamato and Nagi are already at their stations, their weapons hidden in their clothes.

_ Everything will be fine, _ he says internally,  _ Just do not lose sight of what is in front of you. _

“Remember,” Riku whispers, “Only fight them to turn them away from you. Don’t kill anyone in the audience. Especially the important guests. Yukio put them there as liability.”

Both Gaku and Ryo nod grimly. 

There is a sudden hush in the audience, grabbing the trio’s attention. The lights are fully dimmed now, save for the spotlight on the stage.

“It’s starting,” Riku says.

The heavy curtains part and out steps Tenn from the shadows, drawing cheers from his fans.

His brother looks  _ radiant  _ on stage.

Like the way Riku was dressed in his Paris show, Tenn wears a combination of white pieces beautifully coordinated together. His long dress flows down his figure like a shimmery waterfall. The shape of his slender arms are enunciated by the translucent material of his sleeves. Pink jewels adorn the front of his dress, glittering in the artificial light and matching the jewelries placed in his hair. When he moves forward, the fabric of his dress drags behind him and the two strips of clothing attached to his shoulder float in the air like a pair of wings.

“Tenn-kun looks like an angel!” whispers a female fan in front of him.

_ He really does, _ Riku thinks. He spares a glance at Gaku and sees the man is looking at Tenn with some sort of longing. Riku’s heart twists for him.

_ “Good evening, everyone,” _ Tenn says in English,  _ “Thank you for coming tonight!” _ He smiles brilliantly at the cheers for him, doing a little curtsy. _ “I’m so thankful that I have fans who are willing to come all the way here to see me. Considering I gave you a short notice.” _

_ “We love you!” _ screams a fan in heavily accented English.

Tenn giggles.  _ “Thank you!” _ Then in Japanese, he speaks. “This venue means a lot to me. Well, perhaps not me specifically but rather to a person I care for very dearly. It is where my brother made his debut.”

Riku tenses when Tenn mentions him. 

“He had to quit being a singer for personal reasons so I became one in his stead so I can carry out his dream. This concert, even though I could only hold a small-scaled intimate one, is a homage for Riku, who I’m sure…” He smiles slowly, scanning the audience. “...is watching me right now.”

Despite the audience separating them, in that instance, Riku feels as though Tenn is looking directly at him.

In English, his brother continues.  _ “Then...please enjoy the show.” _

Tenn’s performance begins with a choir acapella.

_ I'll correct this world _

Then the music starts as soon as the beat finally drops. The instrumental track is a mixture of bell chimes and heavy beatings of the drum. It sounds tribal almost, and the way Tenn sways his body as he dances to the music reflects that.

Tenn looks as though he is letting the music carry his body. Every movement - from the lightness of his footsteps to the way he sways his arms - is lithe and beautiful. His smile remains playful as he parts his lips to sing.

_ Even getting devoured by the endless darkness, rotting away in a sea of tears _

_ The glass flower is shattered. _

_ Clinging to the vestiges, these hands embrace the corpse of someone _

_ Knowing only a brief respite from the long loneliness. _

“Yuki-san wrote this song?” Gaku asks, “It sounds like...it’s similar to the one you sang before.”

“Both Sato-kun and Tenn-kun specifically requested it,” Ryo says in a serious tone, “They wanted a song that mirrored Riku’s one. They really put a lot of thought into this very performance.”

Riku clenches his hands into fists on his lap. Tenn’s voice is beautiful and fits the song wonderfully, but to think that Yukio makes him use his talent for something like this. It’s difficult to keep his anger at check at the mere thought of it.

_ My final wish is _

_ [Revive the light once more!] _

_ Which crosses over the lost world. _

Tenn twirls around on stage, enjoying the mesmerized looks of his fans on every single movement he makes. Riku waits, his body filled with tension. If his hunch is correct -

He hears a cough.

“Why is my throat...so itchy…” The girl in front of him complains, “Ugh -” There is more coughing around them before Riku begins to hear groans of pain mixing in with it. 

“It’s starting,” Riku says. He’s already rising to his feet, followed by his two companions. He quickly grabs his sword and braces himself. Gaku and Ryo already have their hands transformed and for a split second, Riku allows himself a small luxury of looking at the way Ryo’s fingers have joined together into a silver blade, similar to the one he had seen on Sato. Gaku sports his usual massive claws.

When one person starts screaming, Tenn begins to sing the chorus.

_ Might it be either hope or despair, turn back the hands of time! _

_ Oh, fight against the crazed tomorrow _

_ And reach the skies from days past! _

“What’s happening to me?!” someone screams. Much to Riku’s horror, the girl in front of him does not transform fully into chiropterans, but rather only parts of her body are grotesquely modified. Her arms elongate and spikes emerge from her back. The people around her suffer the same fate. Someone’s jaws enlarged to the point that it dislocates partially from their face. A man’s legs twist and bend until they seem kangaroo-like.

On the stage, Tenn continues to sing, as though he is unaware of the chaos going on in the audience.

“T-this is different than we anticipated!” Gaku exclaims.

“Every monarch’s gift is different. We may be twins, but Tenn-nii does not share the same abilities as I do, and vice versa.” Riku narrows his eyes. “If Yukio attempted to force Tenn-nii to mimic me, this is the result. An incomplete product. But...it shouldn’t be possible to mimic other monarch’s gift in the first place. You either have it or you don’t.”

“That’s correct, Riku-kun. Aren’t you smart?”

Ryo and Gaku quickly move in front of Riku to shield him from the newcomer. Yukio steps from the shadows, unconcerned by the chaos happening around him.

“Yukio,” Riku snarls.

“It’s true that monarchs aren’t able to mimic gifts that aren’t their own. It’s to maintain their survival. No monarch is absolutely stronger than the other. But you see...that’s Tenn-kun’s gift, you see.” Yukio grins at the look of realization dawning upon Riku’s face. “Incomplete as the gifts may be, Tenn-kun possesses the ability to mimic other Kings’ and Queens’ gifts. Up to a certain point, of course. That is what making me re-enect every single thing you did so  _ easy _ .” He smiles at Riku. “Don’t worry. Your singing ability is still superior, darling Riku-kun.” 

“A gift of mimicry,” Ryo breathes, “How did you even know that?”

“While Tenn-kun is in my care, I actively ran tests on him. But never mind that.” Yukio gestures to the chaos around him. “Are you sure you don’t want to handle this first?”

Riku clenches his jaw. He looks up where he could see Mitsuki and Haruka are waiting in the wings. Behind him, he could sense Minami.

“Lead them outside of the performance hall!” he shouts, “But don’t let them exit the building. Give them the antidote then! Explain to Yamato-san and Nagi-san as well!”

“Ho…so you’ve prepared an antidote already,” Yukio says, sounding impressed, “Who prepared it?”

It had been Haruka’s mentor, but Riku isn’t about to tell Yukio that. In a flash of lightning, the Schiffs appear from their hiding spots, brandishing their weapons. The audience are still screaming in pain and terror. Some of their voices have also changed into lower, guttural ones similar to a low-ranking chiropteran.

While the Schiffs somehow try to guide the audience towards the door, Riku, Gaku and Ryo glance at the stage. The performance is now nearing its end, with Tenn looking directly at Riku with a piercing gaze. As though to beckon him to come closer.

_ Again, I'll change the future with my own hands _

“Let’s go,” Riku says, “Tenn-nii is waiting.”

Yukio steps in front of Riku, blocking his way. “Now, now. Riku-kun I’ll allow, but the chevaliers will have to stay.”

“You bastard -” Gaku snarls.

“I’ll fight you,” Ryo drawls, drawing everyone’s attention, “You took special care to train me to fight. Wouldn’t you want to test what I’m now capable of?”

“Ho?” Yuko eyes Ryo in interest, “So the traitor wants a taste of the battle, hm? Why, are you too scared to face your own King?”

“Let me remind you that you’re the one standing in our way,” Ryo says with a roll of his eyes. He looks at Riku and Gaku. “Go! I’ll keep him busy!”

Riku throws him a conflicted look. “Be careful!” he says at last before taking off towards the stage with Gaku by his side.

“Are you even confident you’ll even defeat me?” Yukio sneers, his hands transformed into massive blades, “A mere amateur like you who couldn’t even stay with his creator for more than a few months?”

“I don’t need to defeat you,” Ryo says, “I just need to keep your eyes only on me.”

And with that, he raises his arm and lunges forward to strike.

“Little brother!” Tenn singsongs as he watches Riku and Gaku climb onto the stage, “Did you like my song?”

“Tenn-nii, you really are a wonderful singer,” Riku says calmly, “It’s a shame that your gift is being used for something like this.”

“It’s nothing comparable to what you did in Paris, but I think it achieves a similar effect just fine, don’t you think?” Tenn tilts his head, looking as if he just realized something. “Oh, Riku. What a beautiful outfit. Did you dress up  _ just  _ for me?”

“Your chevalier bought it for me,” Riku says.

The outfit Riku is wearing mirrors that of Tenn’s. While Tenn is all white, Riku’s outfit is as dark as a cloudless night sky. The bodice is cut to enunciate his shape before the fabric flares around him like dark waves. Floral patterns decorate his sleeves and the front of his outfit, intertwining him like vines. 

It’s reminiscent of the years before, but with their positions reversed. Just like the entire thing is set up to be.

Riku could feel his other self just thrumming with excitement at the irony of it all.

“My...chevalier?” Tenn repeats, sounding confused, “Who’s that?”

The question brings both Riku and Gaku to a stop. “...Tenn-nii?” Riku furrows his brows. “What do you mean? It’s Ryo-san. Tsukumo Ryo?”

“Tsukumo...Ryo?” Tenn’s head remains tilted as he thinks. “The name doesn’t ring a bell.” He points a slender finger towards Gaku. “I don’t even know who is that man you’re bringing with you.”

Gaku makes a strangled sound at the back of his throat while Riku feels his face paling.

“That bastard,” Gaku seethes, “Sato must have done something to Tenn again.”

“I don’t know what you’re whispering about, but I’m getting  _ really  _ bored.” Tenn suddenly takes a giant leap forward, as though to lunge at Riku. Riku narrowly misses the attack before he realizes that Tenn is heading for a hidden compartment on stage where he pulls out a familiar black sheath.

With a flourish, Tenn unsheathes his katana before brandishing his weapon towards Riku.

“I’m grateful that you showed up here tonight, Riku,” Tenn says, “Gives me the chance to finally kill you and put an end to my misery!”

“Tenn, stop!” Gaku cries.

Tenn pays him no heed as he charges towards Riku, his dress floating around him with every movement. Riku avoids the attack again, quickly taking out his own sword to parry the attack. Metals clang loudly with each other, signally the abrupt start to the battle between Kings.

“Gaku-san, get out of the way!” Riku shouts.

“That’s right. I don’t want an outsider to interfere with my dance with my brother,” Tenn snarls.

“An outsider - Tenn, don’t you remember who I am?” Gaku asks desperately.

Tenn barely spares him a glance. “You’re a  _ nuisance _ is what you are.” Catching both Riku and Gaku off-guard, Tenn suddenly brings his leg back and lands a powerful kick to Gaku’s stomach, sending the chevalier flying into the air. There is a loud sound when the man crashes into the nearby seats.

“Gaku-san!” Riku screams.

“Don’t look at him!” Tenn screams back, madly swinging his sword towards Riku. “Pay attention to me!”

“Grk!” Riku clenches his jaw, his hands firmly holding his sword. Unlike Riku, Tenn definitely has more experience in swordplay. Not to mention Riku is severely out of practice.

But,

“You’re in no condition to fight me, Tenn-nii,” Riku spits out, “You’re much too sloppy with your anger.”

Tenn lets out a chilling laughter. “It’s the only thing that matters to me now, Riku. Nothing and no one else.” He makes another swing - the metal successfully slices the front of Riku’s outfit. “Face me the same way as you did that night in Paris, Riku. Don’t you dare hold back!”

Tenn’s eyes glow bright red, matching the blue glow in Riku’s eyes. Both twins’ fangs lengthen, signalling their heightened battle instinct. Riku’s other self is fully awake now and in this moment, he could no longer distinguish between his two selves.

Now, they are just two Kings ready to face each other in battle. Just like they were two years ago,

“Fine,” Riku says, “But you better not regret this!”

With a loud cry, the twins charge towards each other before they collide like two vicious storms.

Ryo knows he is at the disadvantage. He has no formal training aside from what Yukio taught him and even then, Yukio, with his years of both experience and hatred, is clearly at a skill level much higher than Ryo.

But he made a promise to Riku that he will make it out of this battle. And that is a promise he intends to keep.

He stumbles to his feet after Yukio slammed him against the wall, hurrying to steady himself before Yukio rushes towards him in another straight attack. His blood is rushing in his ears and his heart beats as fast as a pair of hummingbird wings.

The battle is made even more difficult with the chaos going about in the hall. The Schiffs can be seen forcefully directing the audience towards the hallway where Nagi and Yamato are already working on containing them in one place.

Once the sprinklers activate, the audience will be administered with an antidote to not only reverse their transformation, but to also knock them unconscious and erase their memories for the past hour. With the panic, however, the first task is proven much more difficult than Ryo imagined.

Yukio is clearly taking advantage of this. 

“What’s wrong, Tsukumo-san? Tired already?” Yukio mocks, “How do you plan on keeping me busy like this when you can barely fight back?”

“As long as you have your eyes only on me, nothing else matters,” Ryo says with a sarcastic smile.

“Oh, how romantic! No wonder Riku-kun is fond of you.” 

“You did something to Tenn-kun again, didn’t you?” Ryo snarls. He swipes at Yukio with his blade-like hands, only to miss. “I heard he doesn’t remember neither me nor Yaotome-kun.”

“He doesn’t need those memories~ From what happened at the park, I figured those things will only get in the way of his hatred towards Riku-kun and we can’t have that, now can we? So I suppressed those memories, that’s all~”

“You son of a -”

“Nu-uh! No bad language!” Yukio leaps back, grabbing the back of the head of a man. “You wouldn’t want someone like him to hear it, would you?”

The man Yukio is holding prisoner is one of the prestigious guests Yukio had invited. Ryo faintly recognizes him as one of the top event organizers in America, and it’s only because of his face still being intact that Ryo recognizes him at all. His bottom half has been grotesquely transformed into monster-like features, like the scales on his skin and the claws extending from his fingers.

_ “H-help me!”  _ the man screams.  _ “H-help -” _

“Be nice to our event organizer, Tsukumo-san,” Yukio sings, “He worked hard to secure this place for us, after all, and even stayed low from anyone looking for him. You’d do best to…” He smirks. “...treat him gently!”

Without warning, Yukio throws the man towards Ryo like a human shield. The man screams, the force of the throw sending him flying. Ryo braces himself to catch the man but in doing so, he knows he will definitely get injured due to the claws being extended towards him. He lifts his arms regardless and gets ready for the pain.

He hears a strangled cry and gets none of the pain.

“Tsukumo-san, don’t give up so easily, jeez.”

Ryo opens his eyes and sees Haruka holding the man with an arm around his neck while his other hand injects a syringe filled with clear liquid into the man’s neck. The man’s body slowly starts to morph back before he slumps unconscious in Haruka’s arms. With a huff, Haruka carries the man on his back with barely any effort at all despite Haruka’s small frame.

“Nanase won’t forgive you if you get hurt.”

Ryo weakly smiles. “You’re right. Thank you, Haruka-kun.” He looks at the syringe. “Is that the antidote?”

“Mm. Minami and Mitsuki-san have the rest on hand as well. We’ll hurry and get everyone in a contained area in the hallway.” He looks at Ryo. “You better don’t let Sato hurt you again”

And with that, Haruka runs off with the man while Mitsuki and Minami continue to herd the audience out of the performance hall. Soon, the hall is empty and there is a loud thud as the doors close behind them.

Yukio whistles, impressed. “Work fast, don’t they?”

Ryo glares at him. “I still don’t understand why you would go all through this trouble if your only goal is to kill Riku.”

“You’re wrong, Tsukumo-san,” Yukio says cheerfully, “My goal is to make Riku-kun suffer as much as possible. And you know what, we’ve already made it this far so I’ll humor you with my plans.” Yukio takes a seat in one of the chairs, unconcerned of Ryo’s hostile expression. “You see, Tsukumo-san, I wished to recreate the world that Riku-kun wanted to have all those years ago. And the irony of making Tenn-kun fulfill it is too  _ delicious _ for me to ignore.”

“You bastard -”

“Language, Tsukumo-san,” Yukio chides, “Anyway, once I achieve that, do you know what I plan to do next?”

Ryo only gives him his silence, which only serves to widen Yukio’s smile further.

“I planned to  _ kill _ Tenn-kun right in front of Riku-kun, and drive the poor King _insane_.”

Ryo’s vision turns red and it’s not just from the fact that his eyes are glowing. His anger rises significantly from Yukio’s careless words that the next thing he knows, he is already charging towards Yukio.

“I’ll kill you!”

Yukio smirks.

“I’d like to see you  _ try. _ ”

On the stage, the two Kings continue to lock themselves in a vicious dance.

Metals meet before they are replaced with claw swipes and kicks. Black and white fabric flutter in the wind just as red and light pink flash past each other in a flurry of movements. Both Kings have their fangs out.

Riku could tell from fighting him alone. Tenn’s emotions are leaking through. Yukio’s memory manipulation may have honed Tenn’s hatred towards Riku, but it also causes it to overflow. His body is rapidly rejecting the suppression Tenn placed on his own heart. Once the emotions force themselves out, there will be no saving Tenn.

He will be driven insane by the weight of his own emotions. Perhaps that is the outcome Yukio wanted all along.

Riku manages to land a kick on Tenn’s abdomen, sending the boy stumbling to the ground. He cages his brother underneath him with his body weight, his hands on Tenn’s wrists.

“Turn it back on, Tenn-nii!” he screams, “We don’t have to fight like this! Don’t let that bastard destroy you!”

“Get away from me!” Tenn snarls, his expression incredibly hostile, “I’ll kill you! I’ll make you pay for everything that happened!”

“Tenn-nii - urgh!” Riku is roughly pushed off and Tenn raises his katana to slice at Riku, but a sudden force knocks him to the side.

“Gaku-san!” Riku cries out.

“Who the hell are you?!” Tenn screams, struggling in Gaku’s grasp, “Let go of me!”

Gaku’s grip is unrelenting. “You’re still wearing that ring necklace around your neck.”

“What?” Tenn looks down and sees the aforementioned ring around his neck. “What’s it to you?”

“I’m the one who gave you that ring, Tenn.”

Tenn makes a surprised noise. His brief pause only lasts for a few seconds before he starts struggling again, glaring at Gaku heatedly.

“I don’t know who you are but if you insist on interfering -”

“Tenn-nii,” Riku says, “Gaku-san is the person you love. For years now. Whatever Yukio made you think, it’s wrong.”

Tenn narrows his red eyes, disbelief written all over his face. “What - mmph!”

Gaku turns Tenn around by the shoulders before leaning forward to kiss him deeply on the lips.

Tenn jerks at the sudden kiss, struggling to pull his hands away from Gaku’s grip. Gaku merely kisses him harder, snaking one arm around Tenn’s waist while the other pries Tenn’s katana from his hand. It clatters to the floor and Riku hurriedly kicks it away. 

“You bas -” Every time Tenn tries to pull away from the kiss, Gaku tugs him closer and connects their lips again. The kiss gets more and more passionate until slowly but surely, Tenn’s struggling slows down. When his fingers curl to grab the front of Gaku’s coat and the boy hesitantly starts to kiss Gaku back, Riku sucks in a breath.

Gaku eventually pulls away, revealing Tenn’s stunned expression.

“Y-you…” Tenn blinks, “I - I…”

“My name is Gaku, Tenn,” Gaku says fiercely, “I’m the person you love and who loves you in return.” He lifts the ring hanging from the chain around Tenn’s neck. “I gave you this ring and vowed to spend the rest of my life with you.  _ Please _ .” Gaku’s eyes shine with emotion. “Please remember me.”

Tenn stumbles away from Gaku’s grip, his hands moving to grab his head. “I-I...I don’t understand - W-what’s going on? My head really  _ hurts _ ,” he stammers. His emotions are heightened more than ever before. Riku could tell he’s at his limit. Whatever suppression that has been placed in his mind - from both Tenn and Yukio - is quickly losing its strength. 

“Tenn-nii, turn your humanity back on,” Riku grabs Tenn by the shoulder as he begs him, “Please. Turn it back on before your own emotions kill you.”

“I-I…” Tenn loses the wild hatred in his eyes. Instead, the look is being replaced by uncertainty. “I’m  _ scared.  _ I don’t know what’s happening, I -”

“Shh,” Riku soothes, “Don’t listen to anyone else. Just look at me. Listen to my voice.” His blue eyes return to their original color and he flashes Tenn a gentle smile. “I’m your little brother, Tenn-nii. And despite all that has happened between us, I love you very, very much. All the pain...All the suffering...we’ll go through them together from now on, okay? So please…” He searches Tenn face. “Please turn your humanity back on.”

Tenn lets out a shuddering breath before he closes his eyes. Gaku approaches Riku uncertainly and stands behind him as he watches Tenn come to complete standstill on the floor.

Until, his eyes fly open, the red in them much brighter than before. 

“Urk -” Tenn curls into himself, clutching his chest as he breathes out harshly. “Gh - W-what are all these...emotions - ugh!” He lets out a scream of pain as he collapses further onto the floor, his face twisting in immense pain. “It hurts! It  _ hurts - _ ”

His screams do not go unnoticed by Yukio, who attempts to rush back to Tenn. 

“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Ryo growls. He tackles Yukio from behind, making a slicing motion with his hand. The blade manages to send a long gash at the front of Yukio’s torso, causing a great injury.

“You’re a nuisance, Tsukumo-san,” Yukio grits out, “You should have just stayed an obedient chevalier!” he yells, lunging towards Ryo.

On the stage, Tenn continues to scream as his humanity comes rushing back to him, along with the suppressed emotions and memories caused by switching his humanity off. Riku and Gaku hold him through it. When Tenn finally comes to a standstill and the last of his cries die down, Tenn tiredly looks up, his pale cheeks streaked with tears.

“Ri...ku?” he asks in a small voice, “I-I…”

“Do you remember everything?” Riku asks softly.

“Yes, I...Oh my god, Riku. I-” Tenn heaves a sob, clearly disgusted with himself. “I did all these  _ terrible  _ things, I -'' He catches sight of Gaku then, his eyes widening in shock when he sees Gaku’s missing eye. “Gaku, your  _ eye _ -” Another sob rises from his chest. “Gaku, I’m so sorry.”

Gaku merely smiles in relief. “I’m just happy you’re back, Tenn.”

A deranged laughter interrupts the brief moment of relief. The trio lift their head and turn towards the source of the laughter. Riku’s eyes blaze blue in anger at what he sees.

“Ryo-san!” he screams.

Yukio has Ryo by the throat, lifting the man slightly off the ground. He is squeezing Ryo’s throat tight enough for Ryo’s breathing to come out whispery and for the man to claw at Yukio’s hands. 

“I see that you brought Tenn-kun back,” Yukio says, “What a shame. After all the trouble I went to condition Tenn-kun into the perfect King.”

“You son of a bitch -”

“Yukio,” Tenn snarls, “I’m no longer under your control. You’re gonna pay for what you made me do.”

“How scary!” Yukio exclaims, “How scary, indeed! Ah...but I’m not terrified. I’m quite angry actually. All my plans to drive Riku-kun to despair...all falling apart because someone couldn’t even be a good boy and remain under my control.” Yukio’s eyes flash red. “I should punish you for that. And what better way than to kill this pathetic excuse of a chevalier?”

Ryo gasps when Yukio squeezes his throat tighter.

“Let Tsukumo-san go!” Gaku roars, charging towards Yukio. Taken by surprise, Yukio couldn’t quite manage to dodge Gaku in time. Gaku crashes onto Yukio, sending the man flying backwards. He lets go of Ryo in the process, causing Ryo to stumble to the ground, heaving harshly as he attempts to catch his breath. 

Gaku and Yukio are engaged in a furious battle, but it’s clear that Gaku has the upper hand. He soon has Yukio’s arms restrained behind him. Ryo rushes towards Yukio and with a nod towards Gaku, he takes Yukio’s left arm while Gaku takes Yukio’s right arm, restraining the man against the wall. 

“Riku!” Ryo shouts.

“Tenn!” Gaku cries out.

Tenn and Riku glance at each other. Riku hands Tenn back his katana and the twins slice their palms with their weapons, staining the blades with their blood.

“As long as it is not his Queen, our blood will do, right?” Riku asks.

“One way to find out,” Tenn says, “Let’s end this once and for all, Riku.”

Riku feels a surge of happiness in his veins. Finally, his brother is back. “Mm!”

Yukio continues to laugh as he struggles against Gaku and Ryo’s hold. “You think killing me will solve anything?! One day, mark my words - your cycle of hatred  _ will  _ restart once more! Until one of you dies!” He locks eyes with Riku. “Nanase Riku! You’ll definitely pay for what you did to me. One way or ano -”

He never manages to finish his sentence. Two blades pierce through his heart, driven through him by two twin Kings. Blue and red eyes stare at him in contempt, the twins sparing him no mercy as they pull out their weapons from his body.

“Go to hell,” Riku says.

_ Ah,  _ Yukio thinks,  _ Now I remember...why I was so...fascinated with these two Kings.  _

Yukio is still smiling as he drops to the ground, his body rapidly crystallizing from the effects of the twins’ blood. No one said a word when his body finally shatters into pieces after crystallizing completely. Riku and Tenn lift their feet and  _ stomp  _ on Yukio’s head, breaking it into shards no one would be able to put back together.

At long last, Sato Yukio is dead.

The door bursts open and Nagi and Yamato run into the performance hall.

“Everyone turned back to normal!” Yamato reports, “Their memories should be gone too so they won’t remember what -”

His eyes stray to the pile of shards on the ground. Nagi makes a sound of surprise when he sees them as well.

“Are those…?” Nagi trails off.

“Sato Yukio is dead,” Tenn says, “And I...I’m no longer under his control.”

Tenn turns to Ryo. “Tsukumo-san, I…” He bites his bottom lip. “I’m sorry I did this to you. And for everything else afterwards. I...I have no excuse.”

Ryo smiles softly before patting Tenn’s hair. “There are worse fates than being the chevalier of your boyfriend’s brother, I suppose.”

Tenn turns to Gaku next. “And Gaku, again I...I’m sorry for your eye.” Tenn’s voice shakes at the last word, causing Gaku to caress Tenn’s cheek in comfort.

“I rather lose an eye than to lose you, Tenn,” Gaku says gently. 

Tenn makes a strangled sound, tears leaking from his eyes. He finally directs his gaze towards Riku and when he speaks, he could no longer stop the tremor from leaking into his voice. “Riku, I’m so so  _ sorry _ ,” he sobs, “For everything. For making you suffer. For -”

Riku pulls Tenn into an embrace, burying his face at the crook of Tenn’s neck. He’s crying as well, his tears dampening Tenn’s dress. “I’m sorry, too,” he croaks, “I’m really  _ happy _ to have you back, Tenn-nii.”

Tenn’s sobs grow louder. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

In the performance hall, the twins continue to hold each other as they cry out their feelings, their hearts finally at peace. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Tenn is singing is [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX4sBxqsPfk) .
> 
> Only the epilogue left! =w=


	18. epilogue

**Epilogue**

_ One year later _

  
  


“Dad, remember. Please at least smile when you stand on the podium to give your speech,” Gaku says, “I know it’s been a rough year for Yaotome Productions but don’t let it show on your face.”

“I don’t need you to tell me that,” Sousuke grumbles, adjusting his tie, “You’re lucky Kujou-san is so likeable. I would have dismissed him otherwise.”

“No, you wouldn’t. You have a soft spot for Tenn.”

“Don’t make me regret having one,” Sousuke rolls his eyes, “Ugh. Whatever. I look decent enough. I’m not the one getting married today.”

“No.” Sousuke turns around just in time to see Gaku wearing a silly smile on his face. “I’m the one getting married today. To the person I love.”

Sousuke resists the urge to roll his eyes again. He’s happy for his son, but he could only take so much of Gaku’s gushing of how amazing his partner is.

“Also, thank you, Dad. For giving Tenn the month off. And….for covering for us.”

“Just don’t do it again.”

“Mm.”

Thanks to some manipulation on both Yaotome Productions and Haruka’s mentor, Minato Yukina, Tenn’s show in America was erased from existence. The audience does not remember ever attending a concert in America and all prior traces of it being promoted were cleverly erased as though Tenn never held the show in the first place. It had required some tricky maneuvering and some...persuasion on some parties, but thankfully, things eventually smoothed over.

Upon his return to Japan, Tenn took an additional two weeks of hiatus to recover and take care of unfinished business before he returned to work. The fans, thankfully, greeted him back with as much enthusiasm as though he never left and within a year, Tenn is now steadily rising in career.

Two months ago, Gaku proposed to Tenn.

Today, in a private gathering consisting of only close friends and family, Gaku is finally marrying the person he loves.

“Gaku-san,” Riku calls out, poking his head into the dressing room. “Everyone’s seated and ready. Tenn-nii is also waiting.” He smiles. “Ready to go?”

Gaku lets out a breath. His father pats him on the back.

“Go already,” Sousuke says, “Wouldn’t want to keep your bride waiting.”

“Right.” Gaku nods at the both of them. “Let’s go.”

The wedding takes place on a quaint little church on a hillside that overlooks the ocean. The weather is beautiful, as though Mother Nature is siding with Gaku on this anticipated day. Gaku is now standing on the podium, sucking in a hushed breath as soon as he sees Tenn walk down the aisle, his hand being held by Riku.

Tenn looks  _ beautiful  _ in his wedding dress. 

His dress has a low wide collar, the translucent fabric of the form-fitting bodice and his sleeves embroidered with vines and flowers. His skirt flares from his waist and floats around him like a white waterfall, trailing behind him as he walks down the aisle. His hair is carefully pinned with leaf-shaped ornaments that glimmer in the sunlight. The bouquet he is holding complements the radiant glow on Tenn’s face. On his ring finger, the jewel on the silver band glitters. 

Gaku had initially thought Tenn would prefer a suit like himself, but to his surprise, Tenn had been the one who expressed his wish to wear a dress on his wedding day.

“I look the best in dresses, and on the happiest day of my life, I want your eyes only on me,” Tenn teased him. 

What Tenn doesn’t know is that Gaku has been doing that for a long, long time. 

In the background, Yuki plays the soft tune of Clair de Lune on the piano. Gaku holds out his hand when Riku and Tenn reach the stage. Riku smiles at Tenn before slowly placing his brother’s hand onto Gaku’s - a symbolic gesture of Riku entrusting Tenn to the man who will soon be Tenn’s husband. Unable to hold back his smile, Gaku continues to gaze at Tenn as they stand facing each other on the stage.

Both of them are only faintly aware of the priest reciting the wedding vows beside them.

But the moment when it is time to finish their vows, Gaku could barely hold his excitement. Tenn smiles brightly, his excitement radiating off his face as well.

“I do,” they both say when the question comes. 

If Gaku could say those two words over and over again, he would. 

“You may now kiss the bride,” the priest says.

Gaku cups Tenn’s cheek and leans forward.

“You’re very excited to kiss me, aren’t you?” Tenn giggles softly.

“To kiss you as my bride for the first time...of course I am,” Gaku murmurs before pressing his lips against Tenn.

The two of them are only faintly aware of the cheers surrounding them. Tenn is too busy wrapping his arms around Gaku’s neck to kiss him deeper and Gaku is much too happy to oblige.

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay a little longer?” Ryo asks, “I can always rearrange the flight.”

“We’re already at the airport, Ryo-san. It's a bit too late to ask me that now, don’t you think?” Riku teases.

“Never hurts to ask. The wedding only ended a couple of hours ago, after all.”

Riku shakes his head. “I’m sure Tenn-nii will be eager to spend his time alone with his husband at some faraway island, where hopefully I won’t have to hear their outrageous sex stories.” 

Ryo laughs, reaching to lace their fingers together. “We can beat them with more outrageous sex stories of our own.”

Riku makes a face. “I’d like to keep your skills in bed only for my knowledge, Ryo-san,” he pouts.

Ryo blinks before he breaks into another laughter. “You really know how to make a man’s heart race, Riku. I’ll make sure to show you all those skills the moment we reach our villa in Hawaii,” he says with a playful wink.

“Please do,” Riku coos, “Take my mind off my work while we’re on our own honeymoon.”

Riku recently joined Tsukumo Productions as a freshly debuted indie singer, immediately gaining attention in the entertainment world thanks to his prior career as an idol. With their careers seemingly switched, the Nanase twins had spent quite a bit of time explaining their situation while still keeping their most private details….well, private. In a couple of months, Riku will soon hold his first live concert in a very long while.

For now, though, he can’t wait to go on a trip with his loving boyfriend.

Riku tucks strands of hair behind his ear, revealing the small studded earring on his earlobe. The gem is small but its bright red hue holds a shine of its own. 

“Here,” Tenn had said to him one day, “I destroyed the pendant so...this is the least I could do for you. So you can keep Iori by your side always.”

Even now, when Riku lightly traces the earring, he could feel warmth radiating from it. Like a gentle reassurance. 

“Still, it’s funny how Tenn-nii and Gaku-san are the ones who got married and yet we’re the ones leaving for our honeymoon first,” Riku remarks.

Ryo suddenly gives him a cheeky grin, a mischievous glint present in his eyes.

“Well, about that.”

Riku blinks in confusion when Ryo suddenly sinks to one knee in front of him. “Ryo-san, what are you -”

Ryo takes out a small velvet box from his shirt pocket. Riku sucks in a breath when Ryo opens it to reveal a ring.

“Ryo-san, you -”

“I thought of asking you when we’re in Hawaii. Maybe during a beautiful sunset at the beach. But then, I thought. Hm, I’ll definitely be too distracted by you to remember my plan. So…” He grins. “This is the best next thing.”

“Riku,” Ryo says, his tone now earnest and sure, his eyes shining with emotion, “Will you do me the honor of marrying me?”

By then, there is a noticeable crowd gathering around them, pleasantly surprised by the sudden proposal. At the airport’s departure hall, nevertheless! Riku couldn’t think of a more bizarre timing. But then… that’s Ryo for him.

He couldn’t ask for a better man.

“You’re so dramatic,” Riku says with a laugh, “You’re right about the sunset beach in Hawaii thing, though. I’m not even sure if we’ll ever leave our rooms.”

Ryo looks at Riku hopefully, further softening Riku’s heart.

“But, this is definitely more like us, don’t you think? Dramatic and chaotic and so, so lovable.” Riku nods and when he speaks, his voice wavers with emotion. “Yes, Ryo-san. I’ll happily marry you.”

He watches as Ryo eagerly slides the ring onto his finger, before the man scoops him up and kisses Riku passionately on the lips. Riku barely notices the cheers around him. When they pull apart, he’s too busy staring at Ryo’s radiant happiness on his face with a tender look of his own.

“I love you, Riku,” Ryo says, “I’m so happy we’ve met.”

Riku giggles, Ryo’s happiness quickly spreading to him. His other self, quiet these days after both twins achieved peace in their hearts, wakes up briefly to smile in content, matching the one on Riku’s face.

That’s right - they’re happy now, both sides of Riku. All of Riku. Finally.

“As I you,” Riku murmurs before kissing his lover once more.

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's all, folks! We have officially reached the end of the blood+ series! Ever since I started writing this series more than a year ago, I would have never thought I'd go beyond the first fic, much less an actual sequel. But I've gone ahead and got myself attached and here we are ^^
> 
> Thank you so much for your kind words and love. Every time I get comments and kudos on this fic, just know that my day becomes considerably better.
> 
> Once more, kudos/comments/bookmarks are appreciated and you can find me on Twitter at @tennssi0907 !


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